- Paperback: 176 pages
- Publisher: Thames & Hudson; illustrated edition edition (27 Oct 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0500284342
- ISBN-13: 978-0500284346
- Product Dimensions: 27.7 x 21.6 x 1.5 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 918,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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"Beauty, which is what is meant by art ... is no mere accident to human life, which people can take or leave as they choose, but a positive necessity of life."
Product Description
William Morris was a man of tremendous energies, his accomplishments astonishing in their range and depth. He became successively a poet, embroiderer, pattern designer, calligrapher, dyer, weaver, translator, architectural preservationist, socialist and book publisher and printer. As the head of the internationally successful Morris & Company, he devoted himself to the decorative arts. In his 1880 lecture "The Beauty of Life", Morris defined art and beauty together as integral to life itself. This book looks at the achievements of William Morris and his firm, drawing on material from the Huntington Library and Arts Collections in California. It contains studies of Morris the man, the firm he founded, its designs for stained glass and interior decoration, and Morris's adventures in fine printing, as well as an essay on his successor at Morris & Company, J.H. Dearle. It also explores attitudes to and the design legacy of Morris and his firm in the late 19th and 20th centuries on both sides of the Atlantic.
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3 reviews
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
A joy to simply page through and savor
7 Dec 2003
Format:Paperback
Painstakingly compiled and expertly edited by Diane Waggoner (Andrew W. Mellon foundation Curatorial Fellow in the Art Collections at The Huntington), The Beauty Of Life: William Morris & The Art Of Design is specifically devoted to the decorative artwork of William Morris, an influential leader of the British Arts and Crafts movement. Contemplative and informative essays by Pat Kirkham, Gillian Naylor, and Edward R. Bosley are added to those of Diane Waggoner and concern William Morris' diverse works of art (including his stained glass and interior decoration designs). These essays are enhanced with eye-catching, full color photographs. A joy to simply page through and savor, and presented with a deep respect for artistic traditions stretching back to medieval times and beyond, The Beauty Of Life is a superbly presented and heartily endorsed addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Art History collections.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Entree to the life and works of William Morris
7 Aug 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was scarcely aware of William Morris until recently. This book has been a valuable entree to his life and work for me. Diane Waggoner edited this volume, which features chapters written by Pat Kirkham, Waggoner, Gilliam Naylor, and Edward Bosley.
What makes this book intriguing to me is the various facets of Morris' life that are covered--from "The Firm" (Morris & Company) to stained glass to books to decoration of houses to his publishing company to his politics. I am especially intrigued by his interest in atypical political activists such as Peter Kropotkin.
He counted among his friends some of the leading Pre-Raphaelites and other ambitious young men of the era, including Ford Madox Brown, Dante Gabriel Rosetti, Edward Burne-Jones, Philip Webb, and so on. In the Introduction, Waggoner notes the value of the collection of Morris' works at the Huntington Museum. Kirkham's chapter, "William Morris: A Life in Design" begins with an apposite quotation from Morris (Page 20): "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." Kirkham notes the breath of his work (Page 21): "One of the most famous figures of his day, [Morris[ was a poet, a novelist, translator, social activist, environmentalist, entrepreneur and designer of a wide range of objects, including embroidery, tapestry, furniture, carpets, stained glass, tiles, textiles, wallpaper, books and type."
Indeed, one of the glories of this book is the rich set of examples of his art and craft. Included are photos of his stained glass, his embroidery, his books, and so on. The luscious visual portrayal of his artifacts makes this a fine introduction to his work. one doesn't need to visualize his works in one's mind--they are there to see and appreciate and savor. Important, too, of course, is his philosophical perspective on these products.
Chapter by chapter, one gets a sense of the wide variety of his work. While Morris was not particularly interested in the United States (according to Bosley's chapter), the U. S. proved receptive to many of Morris' ideas. The chapter focusing on the U. S. notes that some movements appear to have been in the spirit of Morris, including the Shakers (I'm not so sure, but I'm not an expert!). For example, Trinity Church in Copley Square in Boston is noted as influenced by the ideas of Morris (including the installation of stained glass designed by Burne-Jones for Morris & Company).
At any rate, I found this a fascinating volume, as I became much better acquainted with the work and philosophy of William Morris.
What makes this book intriguing to me is the various facets of Morris' life that are covered--from "The Firm" (Morris & Company) to stained glass to books to decoration of houses to his publishing company to his politics. I am especially intrigued by his interest in atypical political activists such as Peter Kropotkin.
He counted among his friends some of the leading Pre-Raphaelites and other ambitious young men of the era, including Ford Madox Brown, Dante Gabriel Rosetti, Edward Burne-Jones, Philip Webb, and so on. In the Introduction, Waggoner notes the value of the collection of Morris' works at the Huntington Museum. Kirkham's chapter, "William Morris: A Life in Design" begins with an apposite quotation from Morris (Page 20): "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." Kirkham notes the breath of his work (Page 21): "One of the most famous figures of his day, [Morris[ was a poet, a novelist, translator, social activist, environmentalist, entrepreneur and designer of a wide range of objects, including embroidery, tapestry, furniture, carpets, stained glass, tiles, textiles, wallpaper, books and type."
Indeed, one of the glories of this book is the rich set of examples of his art and craft. Included are photos of his stained glass, his embroidery, his books, and so on. The luscious visual portrayal of his artifacts makes this a fine introduction to his work. one doesn't need to visualize his works in one's mind--they are there to see and appreciate and savor. Important, too, of course, is his philosophical perspective on these products.
Chapter by chapter, one gets a sense of the wide variety of his work. While Morris was not particularly interested in the United States (according to Bosley's chapter), the U. S. proved receptive to many of Morris' ideas. The chapter focusing on the U. S. notes that some movements appear to have been in the spirit of Morris, including the Shakers (I'm not so sure, but I'm not an expert!). For example, Trinity Church in Copley Square in Boston is noted as influenced by the ideas of Morris (including the installation of stained glass designed by Burne-Jones for Morris & Company).
At any rate, I found this a fascinating volume, as I became much better acquainted with the work and philosophy of William Morris.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
The Beauty of Life: William Morris and the Art of Design
9 May 2008
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Beautiful presentation of the work of William Morris - genius designer and illustrator of the Arts and Crafts movement. Beautiful illustrations and reproductions of his work - a great book for any student and artist as well as a graphic designer that has an appreciation for history and beauty.
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