William Morris

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William Morris

• The Kelmscott Chaucer
• The Golden Legend

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Pre-Raphaelite Art

• Characterized by naturalism (love of nature),
  wealth of detail, deliberate medievalism (choice
  of subject), morbidity/ melancholy subjects,
  ornamental/ decorative function
• A definite, harmonious, conscious, beauty It
  ought to be possible for a painting to be a part
  of a beautiful whole in a room or church or hall.

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William Morris (1834-1896)

• Poet, artist, printer, typographer, decorator,
  Socialist--- a man of many talents
• Morris always had an affinity for nature, a vital
  component to pre-Raphaelite art

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William Morris (1834-1896)

• Attended Marlborough School and Exter College at
  Oxford
• Worked with Dante Rosetti and Burne-Jones, among
  others, creating art in 19th century England
• Formed the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood or PRB

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William Morris --- Oxford Years

• Brotherhood was greatly influenced by the writing
  of John Ruskin
• Like Ruskin, Morris believed in Antimodernism
• Believed only great art came before 16th century,
  looked to earlier times for inspiration
• Saw Modernist thinkers as servants to the
  industrial age

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William Morris --- Oxford Years

• A creator contributor of Oxford and Cambridge
  Magazine
• Published Defense of Guenevere and Other Poems
  in 1958

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William Morris --- Career Move

• When Victorian Architect Philip Webb constructed
  The Red House in Bexley, he was unable to find
  any furniture to his liking
• As result, Morris and friends (Rossetti,
  Burne-Jones, Webb) founded Morris, Marshall,
  Faulkner Co.

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William Morris --- Career Move

• M, M, F created furniture, tapestries,
  wallpaper, stained glass, and other interior
  decorative elements
• This company sparked Morris interest in
  architecture and established his career in the
  field
• Would later found The Society for the Protection
  of Ancient Buildings in 1877

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William Morris --- Typographer?

• Towards the end of his life, Morris became
  involved in printmaking and book design
• Uncertain as to why exactly he took an interest
  in this field but Morris was thought to have been
  inspired by a printing lecture given by Emery
  Walker

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William Morris --- Typographer

• Founded the Kelmscott Press in spring of 1891, a
  privately owned printing press dedicated to
  printing the ideal book
• Came up with several revolutionary typefaces
  which he used to print his books --- Golden
  Roman, Gothic Troy, Chaucer typfaces

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William Morris --- Typographer?

• Believed books should be readable and beautiful
• To do so, used an iron handpress, unbleachced
  handmade paper, high-quality vellum, and bindings
  from Henry Band

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William Morris Great Works

• Printed work characterized by darker, more
  massive typefaces, less spacing between words and
  lines, complementary illustrations, ornaments,
  borders, and initials
• Elements can be seen in both The Golden Legend
  and Chaucer

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The Golden Legend

• Printed at Kelmscott Press in 1892, The Golden
  Legend was the 7th book Morris printed
• 13th manuscript about the lives of saints
• Was supposed to be the 1st book published at
  Kelmscott (named after the typeface Golden) but
  was actually the 7th
• The Golden Legend is a display of the Golden
  typeface and includes ornamental borders (Morris)
  and wood-cut illustrations (Burne-Jones)

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The Golden Legend
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The Kelmscott Chaucer

• Widely regarded as the greatest fine press book
  ever produced, particularly in its text-on-vellum
  incarnation.
• Morris print of The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer
  somewhat resembles what Morris had in mind when
  he strived to create the ideal book

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The Kelmscott Chaucer

• Book includes illustrations, ornamentation, and
  the Chaucer typeface, appropriately named after
  the book itself
• Produced in 1891
• Morris died in late 1896, just a few months after
  Burne-Jones completed the illustrations and
  finished the book

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The Kelmscott Chaucer
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The Legacy of William Morris

• William Morris and His Circle is an exhibit at
  the Harry Ransom Center on The University of
  Texas campus
• The exhibit contains over 75 pieces --- Morris
  manuscripts and other Kelmscott Press
  publications
• The exhibit also displays the work of other PRB
  members like Rosetti and Burne-Jones