Exhibition

26th sept - 7th November

The Art of Pattern

William Morris & Contemporary Artists Explore Pattern

Rebecca Painter, Colin Kitchener, Marline Ley, Katherine Barney & Jac Scott

​William Morris has been described as "the most influential figure in the history of the decorative arts in Europe during the last hundred years.""
He despised the poor taste and design quality of the Victorian machine age, and his search for furnishings for his first home, the Red House, ultimately led to the founding of the firm Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. 'Fine Art Workmen in Painting, Carving, Furniture and the Metals' in 1861. The prospectus included such illustrious names as Ford Madox Brown, Edward Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and the architect Philip Webb. In 1875, William Morris took over complete control and the company became Morris & Co.
Morris designed three wallpapers in the early 1860's, one of which, is Trellis. He did not design any further wallpapers until 1872, when his style had completely changed.
William Morris designed a total of 41 wallpapers and 5 ceiling papers; Morris & Co. produced a further 41 wallpapers, by May Morris, William Morris's daughter, Kate Faulkner, sister of one of the founder members, and the majority by John Henry Dearle (1860-1932). Dearle was trained by Morris, and carried on his design style long after Morris's death.

Exhibition Dates:
William's House - 26th September - 7th November 2026
​The Man in Red -  14th November - 22nd December