By Nicholas Salmon
William Morris was born in Walthamstow, Essex,
on 24 March 1834. The son of a wealthy businessman, he enjoyed a
comfortable childhood before going to Marlborough and Exeter College,
Oxford.
He originally intended to take holy orders, but his
reading of the social criticism of Carlyle, Kingsley and Ruskin led him
to reconsider the Church and devote his life to art.
After leaving Oxford, Morris was briefly articled to
G. E. Street, the Gothic Revival architect, but he soon left, having
determined to become a painter. His admiration for the Pre-Raphaelites
led him to be introduced to Dante Gabriel Rossetti whose influence can
be seen on Morris's only surviving painting La Belle Iseult.
Arts and Crafts
In the 1860s Morris decided that his creative future
lay in the field of the decorative arts. His career as a designer began
when he decorated the Red House, Bexleyheath, which had been built for
him by Philip Webb.
The success of this venture led to the formation of Morris,
Marshall, Faulkner & Co. in 1861. The 'Firm' (later renamed
Morris & Co) was particularly well-known for its stained glass,
examples of which can be seen in churches throughout Britain. Morris
produced some 150 designs which are often characterized by their
delightful foliage patterns.
His greatest achievement as a designer was in the
field of textiles and wallpapers. The designs for these were influenced
by his knowledge of the medieval works held at the South Kensington
Museum and his own observation of natural forms.
Literature
Morris was well-known in his own time for his
literature. His first volume of poetry - The Defense of Guenevere
- received a mixed reception, but his reputation as a poet was
established with the publication of The Earthly Paradise
(1868-70).
Among his many other works were Icelandic and
classical translations, Sigurd the Volsung, The Pilgrims of
Hope, and a series of prose romances which included A Dream of
John Ball, News from Nowhere, and The Well at the World's
End.
Politics
Morris entered national politics in 1876 as treasurer
of the Eastern Question Association. This was a post he was to occupy in
two further radical organizations: the National Liberal League and the
Radical Union.
He soon became disillusioned with the Liberals and in
1883 joined the socialist Democratic Federation. After disagreements
with the Federation's leader, H M. Hyndman, he formed the Socialist
League, and later the Hammersmith Socialist Society.
During the 1880s he was probably the most active
propagandist for the socialist cause, giving hundreds of lectures and
speeches throughout the country.
The Kelmscott Press
In 1890 Morris founded the Kelmscott Press in premises
near his last home at Kelmscott House in Hammersmith (now the
headquarters of the William Morris Society). Morris designed three
typefaces for the Press: Golden, Chaucer, and Troy. These were inspired
respectively by fifteenth-century Italian and German typography. In all,
sixty-six volumes were printed by the Kelmscott Press, the most
impressive of which was its magnificent edition of Chaucer which
was published in 1896. Morris died at Kelmscott House on 3 October 1896.
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