Today we celebrate 188 years of William Morris. William Morris was one of the most significant figures in the arts and crafts movement, a man of far ranging creativity and knowledge. He loved reading and nature above all else which shows in his designs and artwork. While studying at Oxford he befriended pre-raphalite artists Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones and married Jane Burden who was not only a wonderful embroiderer participating in the arts and crafts movement herself but she was also used as one of the primary models for the pre-raphalite painter Rossetti.
From 1871 Morris rented the rural retreat of Kelmscott Manor. First he founded the Society for the protection of anceint buildings in 1877 and in 1891 he founded the Kelmscott Press to publish limited-edition illustrated books. He produced a series of English-language translations of Icelandic sagas, among many others. It was a cause that he devoted his last years to, and the Kelmscott Chaucer, the press’s greatest book, was completed shortly before he died.
Resources:
William Morris Society of Canada: www.wmsc.ca/
The William Morris Society (UK): williammorrissociety.org/abou....
William Morris USA: morrissociety.org/
The Library of William Morris: williammorrislibrary.wordpres...
Find Us:
The Library Homepage: www.masseycollege.ca/library/
Instagram: / book.history
#RareBooks #Marginalia #Library