William Morris and Morris & Co.
Category: Books,Crafts, Hobbies & Home,Antiques & Collectibles
William Morris and Morris & Co. Details
Review "Have nothing in your house which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." Read more About the Author Lucia van der Post is a well-known writer and editor specializing in interior design, luxury goods, and travel. She writes frequently for the Financial Times and other newspapers and magazines around the world. Linda Parry is a leading expert on Morris and the general editor of Abrams' William Morris. Read more
Reviews
William Morris was many things, and he had many roles. This short book (85 pages) focuses on just one of them: Morris as a designer in the Arts & Crafts movement. You won't find anything much about his personal life, and the references to his socialism are just-in-passing.It is, however, a beautiful visual appreciation of William Morris' skill in (to enumerate the chapters): craft, color, honesty, pattern, nature, and "legend." There's a bit of corporate background (how the company ownership changed, who owns the designs today, etc.). And a charming bit of life philosophy, every so often: "That thing which I understand by real art is the expression by man of his pleasure in labor. I do not believe he can be happy in his labor without expressing that happiness; and especially this is so when he is at work at anything in which he specially excels."The primary reason to grab this small volume is the color plate photographs, most of which are via the Victoria and Albert Museum. Some of the photos are quite detailed, and all have at least some context. For example: "It was a basic tenet held by Ruskin, Pugin, Morris and others that honesty in design demanded that you did not try to create a three-dimensional illusion in a two-dimensional design. Wallpaper should not disguise the flatness of the surface but enhance it. This GARDEN TULIP design shows very little shallow relief effects, with little shading and a limited palette, but this enhances rather than detract's from the pattern's strength."The photos have a mix of close-up design, design in context (such as a photo of Red House with design details pointed out), and contemporary homes using Morris designs (to demonstrate how relevant the designs are). There's a few people-images (e.g. a charming drawing of Morris and his daughters) and "and friends" (such as a panel by Burnes-Jones), but it's mostly fodder for Morris fans. Like me.With such books, the accompanying text is secondary, but van der Post and Parry are actively interesting. It's wholly admiring of Morris (you won't find any real criticism), but I surely will not complain.
