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Inspiration from Artists Week 48. Kit Williams and William Morris.
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Message
Posted
William Morris (1834 - 1896) was a British textile and wallpaper designer closely associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement.
Born in Essex to a wealthy middle-class family, he came under the influence of Medievalism while studying Classics at Oxford. After university he developed close friendships with the Pre-Raphaelite artists Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and the Neo-Gothic architect Philip Webb with whom he designed Red House in Kent where he lived for a number of years before moving to London. In 1861 he was a founder member of the Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. decorative arts company which became highly fashionable. It profoundly influenced interior design throughout the Victorian era, with Morris designing wallpaper, fabrics, tapestries, furniture and stained glass windows. In 1875 he assumed total control of the company which he renamed Morris & Co.
He was also a poet, novelist, architectural conservationist, printer and social activist, but is best known for his wallpaper and fabric designs which he initially created using pencil and watercolour and which are still very popular today. The success of his designs relied on his close observation of nature, and all his wallpapers were printed using hand cut woodblocks and natural mineral based dyes.
Although primarily a designer, he is known to have completed one painting - of his wife in medieval costume.
Jane Morris as La Belle Iseult
Original watercolour designs for fabrics/wallpaper
Original watercolour design for carpet
Section of Forest tapestry
Original watercolour designs for fabrics/wallpaper
Original watercolour design for carpet
Section of Forest tapestry
Edited
by Jenny Harris
Posted
Morris was an artist who has had a huge influence on what followed. As Jenny said his wallpaper designs are still on the market. Some of his tapestries are like paintings, the section of the Green Forest is one example. At one time tapestries were thought of in much higher terms than mere paintings, and were far more valuable. When you see Morris's work you can see why.
A great artist whose work is very relevant today.
Posted
Lovely flowing lines and wonderful colours, i know I have been aware of his beautiful designs most of my life I think he has probably influenced a lot of the UK ,his work is instantly recognisable.
In one of my first homes we used a lot of wallpaper designed by him .It never ceased to give me pleasure. Nice intro Jenny thank you.
Posted
A wonderful introduction, Jenny.
I've always admired, William Morris's work,
There was a program on the TV when his home was renovated, the reproduction of fabric and paper was intense as it had to go through a detailed check for perfection as was everything else inside and out.
It is said that, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Morris's wife were lovers!
Edited
by Carol Jones
Posted
They were, Carol - we touched on this when looking at Rossetti’s work. Jane Burden, as she was known before marrying William Morris, was a regular muse of Dante Gabriel Rossetti. He was married at the time to another of his muses who tragically died a short time after their marriage. He then became closer to and romantically involved with Jane Morris and lived with her and William Morris in a rather unconventional relationship for several years at Kelmscott Manor. I believe the relationship eventually foundered and she remained married to Morris for the rest of her life.
Edited
by Jenny Harris
Posted
Morris designed a total of 41 wallpapers, all hand printed from pearwood blocks like this one, with a separate block cut for each colour. The need to correctly register each subsequent printing made it a highly skilled and time consuming business. Some of these blocks are still in use.
About 30 years ago I wanted a particular wallpaper which wasn’t part of the Morris & Co range being printed at the time, but I was told it could be hand printed from the original blocks - I think the price quoted was around £300 per roll. I chose another design!
Edited
by Jenny Harris