William Morris & Art from the Islamic World

9 November '24 at 10:00 am - 9 March '25 at 5:00 pm

The first exhibition to explore the influence of art from the Islamic world on William Morris, one of Britain’s most important nineteenth century designers and thinkers.

A principal founder of the Arts and Crafts Movement, William Morris was responsible for producing hundreds of patterns for wallpapers, furnishing fabrics, carpets and embroideries, helping to introduce a new aesthetic into British interiors. While it has long been acknowledged that Morris was inspired by Islamic art, this is the first exhibition to examine this important aspect of his artistic journey in depth.

Alongside his own iconic designs, outstanding examples of Islamic textiles, ceramics, metalwork and manuscripts from Morris’s personal collection – now belonging to major UK institutions including the British Library, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge – are brought together for the first time to reveal the wider impacts of these objects, their designs and impressions on Morris’s creative output.

Venue

William Morris Gallery

William Morris Gallery

Organiser

William Morris Gallery

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