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| | William Morris & Edward Burne-Jones Tapestries | |
William Morris is one of the most famous textiles designers in the world. He was influenced in part by the medieval tapestry designs including the 'Mille-Fleurs' (thousand flower) motif popular in the 15th Century. His background prints are intricate and enticing - you could stare into them for hours and keep seeing new patterns emerge. His work is fascinating and so was his life and education. William Morris tapestries are rich, vibrant, and a joy to own.
Most of his works were actually designed by several people: Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., later shortened to Morris & Co (1881-1900). The "Firm" as it was called in its heyday, was famous for its beautiful stained glass designs which can be found through Europe and Great Britain in manor homes, churches, and schools. William Morris also collaborated with Edward Burne-Jones to create some of the most famous and desired tapestries in the world. One of the most beautiful tapestry wall hangings they created is the Arming and Departure of the Knights, also called The Holy Grail. Morris was fascinated with the Quest for the Holy Grail and Christianity. He was originally going to join the Church, but he became enchanted with literature and art by reading John Ruskin and Carlyle. |
| DUE TO THE WEAVING PROCESS, SIZES GIVEN ARE APPROXIMATE |
| Flora
| The central figure was designed by Burne-Jones and background by Morris in 1885. The original can be seen at the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester. Flora represents the summer season.
- Woven in France
- 100% thick cotton yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Usually in stock
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| Pomona
| Tapestry depicts Pomona, the goddess of fruits and harvests, who personifies autumn in this piece.
- Woven in France
- Mostly fine cotton yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Usually in stock
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| Minstrel / Harp Player
| Depicting a musician dressed in a long robe playing a lute. A typical Morris background having plently of detail.
- Woven in France
- Mostly fine cotton yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Usually in stock
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| Woodpecker & Verse
| This is probably Morris's most famous tapestry and one of only three which he designed entirely by himself. It features a delicate border of trailing honeysuckle and a verse inscription, which was originally embroidered by May Morris and her assistant.
The idea for the piece was inspired by the legend of Picus, an ancient Italian king turned into a woodpecker by the sorceress Circe because of her jealousy of the king's love for his wife, as recounted by Ovid in Metamorphoses. This version of the tapestry is inscribed with the following verse:
I once a King and chief • Now am the tree-bark’s thief • Ever ‘twixt trunk and leaf • Chasing the prey
- Woven in France - mostly fine cotton yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Usually in stock
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| The Peacock
| The Peacock is a detail from 'The Forest' which was woven as part of a Morris & Co house redecoration commission in London. The 1887 original is in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
- Woven in France - mostly cotton yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Usually in stock
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| Strawberry Thief
| Woven in 1883 this pattern is one of Morris's most successful creations. It was inspired by greedy thrushes in his garden at Kelmscott Manor who would eat his strawberries - they managed to creep under protective netting! - Woven in France - mostly cotton yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Usually in stock
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| Les Oiseaux
| Popular William Morris tapestry detailing birds and acanthus leaves.
- Woven in France - mostly cotton yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Usually in stock
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| Corinthe
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| Acanthus
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| The Orange Tree
| This tapestry was originally designed as a fire screen for William Morris & Co by John Henry Dearl at the end of the 19th Century. A stunning, first quality tapestry woven with cotton yarns. Colours are vibrant and detailing is superb. Tapestry has a separate border sewn on.
- Woven in France
- Mostly cotton yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
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| The Orchard
| This panel is from a larger piece entitled The Seasons (showing four figures) and was woven in 1890. It is unusual, in that Morris designed the figures as well as the background details rather than Burne-Jones who usually designed all of the figures due to the fact that Morris was never fond of working on figures. According to reports at the time, parts of the original figures were actually woven by his own hand.
- Woven in France
- Mostly cotton yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
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| Angeli Landente
| This tapestry was originally produced at Merton Abbey in 1894 and Morris assigned his most experienced weavers to the job. This fabulous tapestry shows the angels wearing colourful robes with a mille fleurs background. The border was provided by Henry Dearle having oranges and leaves. The design was deemed particularly suitable for church use, and a number of smaller versions are in existence still. At Eton College, for example, the angel figures were adapted to form the basis of a memorial for the Boer War.
- Woven with 100% cotton yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Usually in stock
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| Ehret Die Frauen (Women's Worth)
| Designed by Marianne Stokes (1855 - 1927) for Morris & Co. Woven by John Martin and Gordon Berry in 1912 and inspired by a quotation from a poem by Schiller.
The banner reads:
ehret die frauen sie flechten und weben himmlische rosen ins irdische leben (honour the women they braid and weave heavenly roses into earthly life)
This tapestry is a tribute to women with its idealized personifications of the virtues of women: Courage, Caring, Love, Wisdom and Fidelity.
- Woven in France - mostly wool with cotton yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Usually in stock
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| Adoration of the Magi
| This tapestry was first produced in 1890 for the Exeter College in Oxford. It became one of Morris & Co's most popular ecclesiastical tapestries. Originally designed by Jones with background detail by Dearle, it was considered by Morris to be one of the Company's most notable achievements.
- Woven in France - mostly wool with cotton
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Woven to order
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| Holy Grail - Arming & Departure - full panel
| In this second tapestry in the Holy Grail series, Arthur's Knights prepare to depart on their quest. Here, the emphasis is on Lancelot, bareheaded on the left, receiving his shield from Guinevere. This is significant because it was his adulterous affair with the queen which made his heart impure and stopped him finding the Grail. A heavy tapestry with vibrant colours. |
| Holy Grail - Arming & Departure II - full panel
| In this second tapestry in the Holy Grail series, Arthur's Knights prepare to depart on their quest. Here, the emphasis is on Lancelot, bareheaded on the left, receiving his shield from Guinevere. This is significant because it was his adulterous affair with the queen which made his heart impure and stopped him finding the Grail. - Original woven by Morris & Co.
- Mixed woven yarns - white areas highlighted with silk finish yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Woven to order
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| The Holy Grail - Arming & Departure - left panel
| - Original woven by Morris & Co.
- Mixed woven yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Small size usually in stock
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| The Attainment - Vision of the Holy Grail - full panel
| This, the first panel in the Holy Grail series, was also destined for the dining room at Stanmore Hall. Completed in 1893 it shows the questing knights have left Britain and have arrived in Sarras. Only three have been deemed worthy enough to reach their goal. Bors and Perceval are allowed to see the Grail from a distance, but three angels bar them from coming any closer - Galahad alone progresses to the chapel. - Original woven by Morris & Co.
- Mixed woven yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Woven to order
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| The Attainment - Vision of the Holy Grail - left panel
| This panel shows three angels who bar Bors and Perceval from getting too close to the Holy Grail. - Original woven by Morris & Co.
- Mixed woven yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Small size usually in stock
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| The Attainment - Vision of the Holy Grail - right panel
| This, the right panel, shows Galahad alone at the chapel where the sacred vessel is kept, where he witnessed a vision of the Holy Ghost, hovering above the chalice and dripping blood into it. - Original woven by Morris & Co.
- Mixed woven yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Woven to order
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| The Attainment - Vision of the Holy Grail - center
| The angel on the right holds the spear which pierced Christ's side at the Crucifixion when, according to the legend, Joseph of Arimathea collected His blood in the Grail. - Original woven by Morris & Co.
- Mixed woven yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Small size usually in stock
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| Deer & Shields is number four of six panels that make up The Quest of The Holy Grail Series. Artist Edward Burne Jones created the original designs for the William Morris and Company to weave this series into works-of-art. The shields show the Coat of Arms of the Knights of the Round Table in King Arthur's court.
The banner reads: These are the arms of certain Knights of the round table bidden to seek the sangreal who departed on the quest whatever might befal but of those that thus departed these are the rhiefest. Sir Gawaine of Orknell. Sir Lancelot. Sir Hector de Marus. Sir Bors. Sir Percival and Sir Galahad.
- Woven in Belgium
- Mixed heavy yarns
- Smaller size usually in stock
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| Tree of Life
| This tapestry was designed by Morris & Co in the 19th century. It shows an intricate pattern of leaves and branches, stemming from the central element, the Tree of Life, a common motif in many of Morris's works including other textiles as well as wallpaper patterns. The ornate and detailed background was inspired by the Medieval decorative technique known as Mille Fleurs. - Mostly cotton yarns
- Fully lined with a rod tunnel
- Usually in stock
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