William Morris William Morris always had an interest in medievalism. At the youthful age of four, he began to read Sir Walter Scotts Waverly novels. This childhood interest followed though for the entirety of his life. As a child he also had a love for organic forms such as forests, gardens and flowers. This is seen in the creation of his work particularly his patterns and wallpaper designs. However, Morris must not have thought this early interest would be significant enough to pursue a career around it. He attended Exeter College at Oxford to become a High-Church Clergyman. His studies here lasted only for a short period. As his mode of study changed to architecture when he travelled to the Great Gothic Cathedral of Northern France with …show more content…
Morris became aware of the deterioration of the social structure of his time. He believed “Art… will die of civilisation, if the systems last.” Morris was aware if there was not a change in the civilisation, or in the approach of art by machine production, the machine would take over the artists role. The artist would be eliminated and machinery would replace them. Morris had the ability in this sense, to look to the future and see what the consequences for art would be, as a result of the industrial revolution. Morris became involved in political activities as he believed the social structure and the production of art were not as they “should be.” Morris aided this socialist movement as he believed it was the only way to stop poverty, unemployment, the death of art, as well as the growing gap between upper and lower classes. Machine productions of art was cheaper but of a poorer quality. Morris wanted to make better quality art “by the people for the people.” He wanted to close the gap between the upper and lower classes with the use of art. In order to do this, Morris wanted to avoid the use of machine production as this was not quality art. But he also wanted to use medieval …show more content…
The Beauty Of Life. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2003. Blakesley, Rosalind P. The Arts And Crafts Movement. London: Phaidon, 2006. Website- David Cody, “William Morris: A Brief Biography”. Victorian Web, 1988, http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/morris/wmbio.html Assessed December 3, 2015. “The Original Morris & Co- A Full History” william-morris, 2015, https://www.william-morris.co.uk/a-full-history/ Assessed December 3, 2015 William-morris.co.uk,. 2015. “The Original Morris & Co – Arts And Crafts, Fabrics And Wallpaper Designs By William Morris & Company, A Full History, British/UK Fabrics And Wallpapers” https://www.william-morris.co.uk/a-full-history/ Assessed December 3, 2015. Artyfactory.com,. 2015.“William Morris- The Arts and Crafts Movement”. http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/graphic_designers/william_morris.html Assessed December 3, 2015. Vam.ac.uk,. 2015. “William Morris & Wallpaper Design – Victoria And Albert Museum” http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/w/william-morris-and-wallpaper-design/ Assessed December 3, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_House,_London#/media/File:Philip_Webb%27s_Red_House_in_Upton.jpg Assessed December 9,