Born on 24 March 1834 in Walthamstow, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, world-renowned British Heritage Artist William Morris is regarded by many as one of the greatest designers of his time, and one of the most outstanding figures of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Morris’ closeness to nature as a child would later prove vital in cementing his name as the biggest contributor to the revival of traditional British textile arts.

In 1861, he started a decorating business with a group of friends: Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., would provide beautiful, handcrafted products and furnishings for the home. Morris’ works were inspired by the wonders of nature which he was surrounded by as a child at Epping Forest and later in his life, the nature surrounding his residence at the Kelmscott House; a homage to his previous home in the countryside, Kelmscott Manor. 

Coupled with his desire to provide affordable ‘art for all’ and driven by his boundless enthusiasm, his decorating business had a highly prolific output of elegant natural patterns. Over the next 150 years the company, then simply known as Morris & Co., became the household brand for wallpaper and fabric design.

 

The Strawberry Thief print designed in 1883, was inspired by Morris' life in the countryside. Morris' is known for recreating his surroundings, and this is no exception, this time, the spark came as he watched birds steal his strawberries from under the fruit nets in his home kitchen at Kelmscott Manor. Today, decades later, the Strawberry Thief print is still one of the all-time favourite William Morris designs.

 

Pimpernel is a clear example of the relationship William Morris created between the design of wallpapers and fabrics, influenced by oriental models. Morris designed Pimpernel in 1876 and later chose it to decorate his dining room at Kelmscott House in Hammersmith, London. Titled Pimpernel, this design is an example of how the interest in Japanese design led to the simplification of lines and colours. Morris was particularly keen on curved acanthus leaves and climber willow and honeysuckle branches, which he used time and time again as the central theme or in the backgrounds.

 

The inspiration for this design came from an original tapestry woven with wool and silk at Merton Abbey in 1887, designed by William Morris, Philip Webb and John Henry Dearle. Morris used birds and animals from earlier tapestries in conjunction with a dense cover of trailing acanthus leaves taken from his first tapestry "Acanthus & Vine" into which have been placed Philip Webb's five studies of animals and birds (Peacock, Hare, Lion, Fox and Raven).

 

The inspiration for this design came from an original tapestry woven with wool and silk at Merton Abbey in 1887, designed by William Morris, Philip Webb and John Henry Dearle. Morris used birds and animals from earlier tapestries in conjunction with a dense cover of trailing acanthus leaves taken from his first tapestry "Acanthus & Vine" into which have been placed Philip Webb's five studies of animals and birds (Peacock, Hare, Lion, Fox and Raven).

 

Taking inspiration from the medieval murals Morris valued so highly, Bachelors Button was first created in 1892. It is a delightful depiction of cornflowers, known in folklore as Bachelor's Buttons as young men in love wore them. The Morris & Co. studio enlarged the original 1892 design and painted it in medieval frescos with dramatic effect creating a show-stopping swirling leaf design.

 

Inspired by the wild-flowers and trees Morris' saw on his country walks, Willow Bough features entwined stems and delicate willow leaves. This much-loved Morris design from 1887 has been simplified and re-painted using three colours, which brings a gentle sophistication and contemporary flavour to this classic design.

 

The print Love Is Enough pays tribute to Morris' many skills as a writer, poet and typographer. The title phrase from the play of the same name printed in the Morris typeface from the Kelmscott Press.

Love is enough: though the world be a-waning,
And the woods have no voice but the voice of complaining,
Though the skies be too dark for dim eyes to discover
The gold-cups and daisies fair blooming thereunder,
Though the hills be held shadows, and the sea a dark wonder,
And this day draw a veil over all deeds passed over,
Yet their hands shall not tremble, their feet shall not falter:
The void shall not weary, the fear shall not alter
These lips and these eyes of the loved and the lover.