Career and fame William Morris

1 career , fame

1.1 red house , firm: 1859–65
1.2 queen square , earthly paradise: 1865–70
1.3 kelmscott manor , iceland: 1870–75
1.4 textile experimentation , political embrace: 1875–80

career , fame
red house , firm: 1859–65

red house in bexleyheath; owned national trust , open visitors

morris desired new home himself , wife, resulting in construction of red house in kentish hamlet of upton near bexleyheath, ten miles central london. building s design co-operative effort, morris focusing on interiors , exterior being designed webb, whom house represented first commission independent architect. named after red bricks , red tiles constructed, red house rejected architectural norms being l-shaped. influenced various forms of contemporary neo-gothic architecture, house nevertheless unique, morris describing mediaeval in spirit . situated within orchard, house , garden intricately linked in design. took year construct, , cost morris £4000 @ time when fortune reduced dramatic fall in price of shares. burne-jones described beautifullest place on earth.

after construction, morris invited friends visit, notably burne-jones , wife georgiana, rossetti , wife lizzie siddal. aided him in painting murals on furniture, walls, , ceilings, of based on arthurian tales, trojan war, , geoffrey chaucer s stories, while designed floral embroideries rooms. spent time playing tricks on each other, enjoying games hide , seek, , singing while accompanied piano. siddall stayed @ house during summer , autumn 1861 recovered traumatic miscarriage , addiction laudanum; die of overdose in february 1862.

in april 1861, morris founded decorative arts company, morris, marshall, faulkner & co., 6 other partners: burne-jones, rossetti, webb, ford madox brown, charles faulkner, , peter paul marshall. operating premises @ no. 6 red lion square, referred firm , intent on adopting ruskin s ideas of reforming british attitudes production. hoped reinstate decoration 1 of fine arts , adopted ethos of affordability , anti-elitism. additional staff, employed boys industrial home destitute boys in euston, central london, many of whom trained apprentices.

although working within neo-gothic school of design, differed neo-gothic architects gilbert scott included gothic features on modern styles of building; instead sought return medieval gothic methods of craftmanship. products created firm included furniture, architectural carving, metalwork, stained glass windows, , murals. stained glass windows proved particular success in firm s years in high demand surge in neo-gothic construction , refurbishment of churches, many of commissioned architect george frederick bodley. despite morris s anti-elitist ethos, firm became increasingly popular , fashionable bourgeoisie, particularly following exhibit @ 1862 international exhibition in south kensington, received press attention , medals of commendation. however, faced opposition established design companies, particularly belonging neo-classical school.

design trellis wallpaper, 1862

morris abandoning painting, recognising work lacked sense of movement; none of paintings dated later 1862. instead focused energies on designing wallpaper patterns, first being trellis , designed in 1862. designs produced 1864 jeffrey , co. of islington, created them firm under morris s supervision. morris retained active interest in various groups, joining hogarth club, mediaeval society, , corps of artist volunteers, latter being in contrast later pacifism.

meanwhile, morris s family continued grow. in january 1861, morris , janey s first daughter born: named jane alice morris, commonly known jenny . jenny followed in march 1862 birth of second daughter, mary may morris. morris caring father daughters, , years later both recounted having idyllic childhoods. however, there problems in morris s marriage janey became increasingly close rossetti, painted her. unknown if affair ever sexual, although point other members of group noticing rossetti , janey s closeness.

imagining creation of artistic community @ upton, morris helped develop plans second house constructed adjacent red house in burne-jones live family; plans abandoned when burne-jones son philip died scarlet fever. 1864, morris had become increasingly tired of life @ red house, being particularly unhappy 3 4 hours spent commuting london workplace on daily basis. sold red house, , in autumn 1865 moved family no. 26 queen square in bloomsbury, same building firm had moved base of operations earlier in summer.

queen square , earthly paradise: 1865–70

portrait of william morris george frederic watts, 1870.

at queen square, morris family lived in flat directly above firm s shop. joined janey s sister bessie burton , number of household servants. meanwhile, changes afoot @ firm faulkner left, , replace him employed business manager, warrington taylor, remain them till 1866. taylor pulled firm s finances order , spent time controlling morris , ensuring worked schedule. during these years firm carried out number of high-profile designs; september 1866 january 1867, redecorated armoury , tapestry room in st. james palace, in latter year designing green dining room @ south kensington museum (it morris room @ victoria , albert museum). firm s work received increasing interest people in united states, resulting in morris s acquaintance henry james , charles eliot norton. however, despite success, firm not turning on large net profit, , this, coupled decreasing value of morris stocks, meant had decrease spending.

janey s relationship rossetti had continued, , late 1860s gossip regarding affair had spread london, regularly seen spending time together. morris biographer fiona maccarthy argued morris had learned of , accepted existence of affair 1870. in year developed affectionate friendship aglaia coronie, daughter of wealthy greek refugees, although there no evidence had affair. meanwhile, morris s relationship mother had improved, , regularly take wife , children visit @ house in leyton. went on various holidays; in summer of 1866 he, webb, , taylor toured churches of northern france.

a caricature sketch of morris rossetti, bard , petty tradesman , reflecting behaviour @ firm

in august 1866 morris joined burne-jones family on holiday in lymington, while in august 1867 both families holidayed in oxford. in august 1867 morrises holidayed in southwold, suffolk, while in summer of 1869 morris took wife bad ems in rhineland-palatinate, central germany, hoped local health waters aid ailments. while there, enjoyed walks in countryside , focused on writing poetry.

morris had continued devote time writing poetry. in 1867 bell , dandy published morris s epic poem, life , death of jason, @ own expense. book retelling of ancient greek myth of hero jason , quest find golden fleece. in contrast morris s former publication, life , death of jason received, resulting in publishers paying morris fee second edition. 1865 1870, morris worked on epic poem, earthly paradise. designed homage chaucer, consisted of 24 stories, adopted array of different cultures, , each different narrator; set in late 14th century, synopsis revolved around group of norsemen flee black death sailing away europe, on way discovering island inhabitants continue venerate ancient greek gods. published in 4 parts f. s. ellis, gained cult following , established morris reputation major poet.

kelmscott manor , iceland: 1870–75

main entrance kelmscott manor

by 1870, morris had become public figure in britain, resulting in repeated press requests photographs, despised. year, reluctantly agreed sit portrait establishment painter george frederic watts. morris keenly interested in icelandic literature, having befriended icelandic theologian eiríkr magnússon. produced prose translations of eddas , sagas publication in english. morris developed keen interest in creating handwritten illuminated manuscripts, producing 18 such books between 1870 , 1875, first of book of verse, completed birthday present georgina burne-jones. 12 of these 18 handwritten copies of nordic tales such halfdan black, frithiof bold, , dwellers of eyr. morris deemed calligraphy art form, , taught himself both roman , italic script, learning how produce gilded letters. in november 1872 published love enough, poetic drama based on story in medieval welsh text, mabinogion. illustrated burne-jones woodcuts, not popular success. 1871, had begun work on novel set in present, novel on blue paper, love triangle; remain unfinished , morris later asserted not written.

by summer 1871, morris began search house outside london children spend time away city s pollution. settled on kelmscott manor in village of kelmscott, oxfordshire, obtaining joint tenancy on building rossetti in june. morris adored building, constructed circa 1570, , spend time in local countryside. conversely, rossetti unhappy @ kelmscott, , suffered mental breakdown. morris divided time between london , kelmscott, when rossetti there not spend more 3 days @ time @ latter. fed family home in queen square, deciding obtain new house in london. although retaining personal bedroom , study @ queen square, relocated family horrington house in turnham green road, west london, in january 1873. allowed him far closer home of burne-jones, duo meeting on every sunday morning rest of morris life.

leaving jane , children rossetti @ kelmscott, in july 1871 morris left iceland faulkner, w.h. evans, , magnússon. sailing scottish port of granton aboard danish mail boat, proceeded island via tórshavn in faroe islands before arriving @ reykjavik, disembarked. there met president of althing, jón sigurðsson, morris being sympathetic icelandic independence movement. there, proceeded icelandic horse along south coast bergþórshvoll, thórsmörk, geysir, Þingvellir, , reyjkavik, departed britain in september. in april 1873, morris , burne-jones holidayed in italy, visiting florence , siena. although disliking country, morris interested in florentine gothic architecture. after, in july, morris returned iceland, revisiting many of sites had seen, proceeding north varna glacier , fljótsdalur. 2 visits country profoundly influenced him, in particular in growing leftist opinions; comment these trips made him realise grinding poverty trifling evil compared inequality of classes.

morris , burne-jones spent time 1 of firm s patrons, wealthy george howard, 9th earl of carlisle , wife rosalind, @ medieval home in naworth castle, cumberland. in july 1874, morris family took burne-jones 2 children them on holiday bruges, belgium. however, point morris friendship rossetti had eroded, , in july 1874 acrimonious falling out led rossetti leave kelmscott, morris publisher f.s. ellis taking place. company s other partners drifting off work on other projects, morris decided consolidate own control of firm , become sole proprietor , manager. in march 1875, paid £1000 each in compensation rossetti, brown, , marshall, although other partners waived claims financial compensation. month, firm officially disbanded , replaced morris & co, although burne-jones , webb continue produce designs in future. accomplished, resigned directorship of devon great consols, selling remaining shares in company.

textile experimentation , political embrace: 1875–80

now in complete control of firm, morris took increased interest in process of textile dyeing , entered co-operative agreement thomas wardle, silk dyer operated hencroft works in leek, staffordshire. result, morris spend time wardle @ home on various occasions between summer 1875 , spring 1878. deeming colours of inferior quality, morris rejected chemical aniline dyes predominant, instead emphasising revival of organic dyes, such indigo blue, walnut shells , roots brown, , cochineal, kermes, , madder red. living , working in industrial environment, gained personal understanding of production , lives of proletariat, , disgusted poor living conditions of workers , pollution caused industry; these factors influenced political views. after learning skills of dyeing, in late 1870s morris turned attention weaving, experimenting silk weaving @ queen s square.

in spring of 1877, firm opened store @ no. 449 oxford street , obtained new staff able improve professionalism; result, sales increased , popularity grew. 1880, morris & co. had become household name, having become popular britain s upper , middle classes. firm obtaining increasing numbers of commissions aristocrats, wealthy industralists, , provincial entrepreneurs, morris furnishing parts of st. james palace , chapel @ eaton hall. result of growing sympathy working-classes , poor, morris felt conflicted in serving interests of these individuals, privately describing ministering swinish luxury of rich .

continuing literary output, morris translated own version of virgil s aeneid, titling aeneids of vergil (1876). although many translations available, produced trained classicists, morris claimed unique perspective poet not pedant . continued producing translations of icelandic tales magnússon, including 3 northern love stories (1875) , völuspa saga (1876). in 1877 morris approached oxford university , offered largely honorary position of professor of poetry. declined, asserting felt unqualified, knowing little scholarship on theory of poetry.

in summer 1876 jenny morris diagnosed epilepsy. refusing allow societally marginalised or institutionalised, common in period, morris insisted cared family. when janey took may , jenny oneglia in italy, latter suffered serious seizure, morris rushing country see her. proceeded visit number of other cities, including venice, padua, , verona, morris attaining greater appreciation of country had on previous trip. in april 1879 morris moved family home again, time renting 18th-century mansion on hammersmith s upper mall in west london. owned novelist george macdonald, morris name kelmscott house , re-decorate according own taste. in house s grounds set workshop, focusing on production of hand-knotted carpets. excited both of homes along course of river thames, in august 1880 , family took boat trip along river kelmscott house kelmscott manor.

portrait of william morris william blake richmond

morris became politically active in period, coming associated radicalist current within british liberalism. joined eastern question association (eqa) , appointed group s treasurer in november 1876. eqa had been founded campaigners associated centre-left liberal party opposed prime minister benjamin disraeli s alliance ottoman empire; association highlighted ottoman massacre of bulgarians , feared alliance lead disraeli join ottomans in going war russian empire. morris took active role in eqa campaign, authoring lyrics song wake, london lads! sung @ rally against military intervention. morris became disillusioned eqa, describing being full of wretched little personalities . nevertheless joined regrouping of predominantly working-class eqa activists, national liberal league, becoming treasurer in summer 1879; group remained small , politically ineffective, morris resigning treasurer in late 1881, shortly before group s collapse.

however, discontent british liberal movement grew following election of liberal party s william ewart gladstone premiership in 1880. morris particularly angered gladstone s government did not reverse disraeli regime s occupation of transvaal, introduced coercion bill, , oversaw bombardment of alexandria. morris later related while had once believed 1 might further real socialistic progress doing 1 on lines of ordinary middle-class radicalism , following gladstone s election came realise radicalism on wrong line, say, , never develope [sic] more radicalism: in fact made , middle classes , under control of rich capitalists.

in 1876, morris visited burford church in oxfordshire, appalled @ restoration conducted old mentor, g.e. street. recognised these programs of architectural restoration led destruction or major alteration of genuinely old features in order replace them sham old features, appalled him. combat increasing trend restoration, in march 1877 founded society protection of ancient buildings (spab), referred anti-scrape . adopting role of honorary secretary , treasurer, of other members of spab friends, while group s program rooted in ruskin s 7 lamps of architecture (1849). part of spab s campaign, morris tried build connections art , antiquarian societies , custodians of old buildings, , contacted press highlight cause. particularly strong in denouncing ongoing restoration of tewkesbury abbey , vociferous in denouncing architects responsible, upset street. turning spab s attention abroad, in autumn 1879 morris launched campaign protect st mark s basilica in venice restoration, garnering petition 2000 signatures, among whom disraeli, gladstone, , ruskin.