William Morris and the Kelmscott Press

 

After reading some of Morris’s writings about his views on society and politics I wanted to explore his work further as a designer as he is most famous for his wallpaper designs.

 He was born in Walthamstow in March 1834, at the age of 18 Morris went to study at the University of Oxford in preparation to join the clergy however after meeting Edward Burne Jones who would become his life long friend and creative partner they left London and wanted to pursue their creative talents.

Morris and his friends founded what is now the Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain. In 1861 they formed ‘The Firm’ which was a decorative arts company and aimed to improve the state of decorative arts using the ideas he had learnt from John Ruskin to reform attitudes to production.

Alongside of this Morris contributed greatly to the poetry of the time and as I have looked at recently to essays and the philosophy behind art and socialism.

Later on in his life he established the Kelmscott Press as he was frustrated with the declining standard in book printing. Along with his friend Emery Walker who was an expert on typography and a fellow member of the Hammersmith Socialist League they began looking at early wood printing methods from as far back as the 16^th century.

Using the illustrations of Edward Burne Jones and engraved by William Harcourt Hooper the Kelmscott press published the ‘Works of Geoffrey Chaucer’ in 1896 which are now seen to be one of the most beautiful books ever printed. 

Source 1

Source 2