Tree Of Life Tapestries & Rugs

The revival of medieval tapestries in the 19th century has a lot to do with the works of William Morris. Tapestries own their popularity and resurgence to the arts movement headed by William Morris in the late 1800’s throughout England. Morris was responsible for reviving many old art forms, but some of his most famous works were tapestries including the tapestry entitled The Tree of Life. Morris was part of a wealthy family and after an unremarkable childhood attended Exeter College in Oxford England. Morris had always had an interest in art, especially the works of the pre-renaissance era, but it was not until he met painter Edward Burne-Jones that he began his creative quest to revive and preserve medieval art forms. Burne-Jones, Morris, and other students founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood a group of artists that looked to the art and culture of Middle Ages for inspiration. Tapestries were of special inspiration to Morris who though modern production methods and designs were not nearly as creative and noble as the methods and designs of centuries past. He built a traditional high-warp loom and taught himself how to weave in the traditional French manner. He designed some of the most famous tapestries of the time including The Tree of Life and The Woodpecker with help from colleagues. He used medieval styles, techniques, and inspiration to create these famous hangings. Morris went on to found a production company, Morris and Co. who produced many different textiles from carpet to wallpaper and gave Morris a great outlet for his creative designs. Morris and Co. eventually dissolved but not for a few years after Morris’ death and after creating many different works of art. Morris designed and produced stained glass, tapestries, ceramic tiles, furniture, wallpaper, and carpets. Morris and Co. went a long way in reviving many of these ailing crafts and art forms. Burne-Jones also worked with Morris and designed many pieces for Morris and Co. Burne-Jones designed many tapestries as well as window glass all of which having inspiration from the Middle Ages. Burne-Jones had a special affinity for tapestries, and like many of his other works he specialized in creating figures in his tapestries. He became an expert craftsman and even lectured on the subject. Morris and Burne-Jones also designed and manufactured furniture along with their other Morris and Burne-Jones’ foray into furniture design began in 1856 when they began designing furniture for their empty rental after being unable to find furniture that met their aesthetic tastes. This led Morris to explore embroidery and different styles of furniture decoration. Morris believed that a designer should be experienced in all of the aspects of a technique so he studied fiber dying techniques as well. Morris designed and created many tapestries and wall hangings entirely himself, even dying the thread with plant materials. One such wall hanging entitled If I Can was one of the first that Morris designed and created and also reflected his desire to see his work through from idea to finished piece.

William Morris is one of Britain’s most prolific textile designers with a talent in every area he managed to influence. A multi skilled designer with a appreciation of beautiful things, he developed a design portfolio that encompasses many genres in the applied arts. Morris’ Early years In 1834 William Morris was born in Walthamstow, Essex. He attended Exeter College, Oxford where he met Edward Burne-Jones, who later became his business partner and lifelong friend. Initial plans to study for Holy Orders were abandoned in favour of becoming and architect. With such a creative mind Morris soon tired of this and joined his friend Burne-Jones to paint. Art became Morris’s forte and he developed talent in printing, poetry and learning how to weave. His tapestry work is undoubtedly his finest creation. Acanthus and Vine was Morris’s first tapestry, completed in 1879.

The Arts and Crafts Movement The 1860’s saw a transformation of the applied arts when Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Company was formed. This brought together some of the leading artists of the day as William Morris, Peter Paul Marshall, and Charles Faulkner began the Arts and Crafts Movement together with Edward Burne-Jones and Ford Maddox Brown. The tapestries and wall hangings created by Morris remain influential in the design world today. Morris said, ”Whatever you have in your room, think first of the walls, for they are that which makes your house and home.” The company eventually became known as Morris & Co in 1874. William Morris Tapestries Burne-Jones and Morris worked in partnership on some of the greatest tapestries to emerge from the Arts and Crafts Movement. Morris wove the tapestry that Burne-Jones designed.

One of the most popular tapestries is the Quest for the Holy Grail, now on display in the Birmingham Museum and is a set of six tapestries depicting this famous legend. The Adoration of the Magi is perhaps Morris’s most well known religious tapestry, and was also the most complex. Depicting the nativity scene, the foreground is scattered with British flowers and Morris declared that, “nothing better of the kind has ever been done, old or new.” The Woodpecker is one of the few designed by Morris himself and depicts the bird sitting in the branches of a fruit tree surrounded by an ornate background of leaves, which came to typify the Morris design. An embroidered inscription of Morris’s own poetry was included in the tapestry design. The use of colour and intricate detail can be seen in The Tree of Life, a well known Morris design, which also serves to display his expertise in patterns.

A timeless appeal

Morris once said,” Have nothing in your houses that you do know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” One of the most prolific artists of the nineteenth century, his works are seen today in modern homes and is a testament to the fact that true beauty is timeless.

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Photo by United Nations PhotoWilliam Morris was a British designer, artist and craftsman whose designs for art and the decorative arts helped create the arts and crafts movement during the Victorian era. Morris’s talents were endless and he turned his hand to poetry, illuminated manuscripts, printing, wallpaper design and many other decorative elements. He is best known, however, for his impressive revival of the ancient art of tapestry design.
Although he initially studied for Holy Orders at Oxford he soon embraced art after meeting his lifelong friend Edward Burne-Jones. Deciding to instead become an architect he embarked on a lifelong pursuit of artistic freedom that would lead to the creation not only of some of the Victorian era’s most famous works, but revitalize and recreate the arts and crafts movement.
Through an early love of poetry he soon taught himself printing and from that learned to weave and work a loom. It was the latter pursuit that would come to demonstrate Morris’s talent at it’s most impressive. His spectacular tapestries became his most famous creations.
Morris developed an array of skills. He learned to embroider by unpicking antique pieces to learn the stitches; he set up a loom in his house and taught himself to weave with only an 18th century French manual for guidance. Within a matter of months he had completed his first tapestry design.
In 1861 Morris founded Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Company along with friends Peter Paul Marshall and Charles Faulkner and subsequently begun the Arts and Craft Movement. Together with Edward Burne-Jones and fellow artists Ford Maddox Brown and Dante Gabriel Rosetti, the group produced some of the most creative tapestries and wall hangings the Victorians had seen.
It was Morris’s ambition to breathe new life into the art and he achieved it. Morris’s wall hangings and tapestries still remain an important influence on design today. His most famous works generally featured figures drew by Burne-Jones. Morris would design the background and the tapestry would be woven by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & co, which became simply Morris & Co in 1874 when Morris took sole control.
One of the most intricate and beautiful creations from the company, known as “the Firm”, is the Tree of Life tapestry. Designed by Morris it demonstrates his talent with patterns and his awareness and appreciation of the use of color. Symbolising growth and continuous life, the Tree of Life wall hanging is still one Morris’s most recognised works.
Morris & Co.’s most popular religious tapestry ‘The Adoration of Magi’ was first produced in 1890. As well as being Morris’s most ecclesiastical it was also the most complex. At least ten similar versions of the tapestry were woven between 1890-1907. Originally designed by Burne-Jones the tapestry depicts the Nativity scene.
The Quest for the Holy Grail, currently exhibited at the Birmingham Museum is one of the most well known works of Morris & Co. Like many of the others, the tapestry, which depicts the fascinating story of the search for the Holy Grail, was designed by Edward Burne-Jones. It is one of six wall hangings illustrating the story and was woven in 1895-96.
Possibly the most captivating and charming of Morris & Co.’s tapestries is the Ehret die Frauen. Designed by Marianne Stokes the hanging was inspired by a quotation from Friedrich von Schiller’s 1796 poem “Wurde der Frauen” (Women’s Worth), which appears in the upper border: “Honour the Women, they broid and weave heavenly roses into earthly life.”
One of William Morris’s most enduring legacies is his revitalization of tapestry art. By the mid-19th century wall tapestries had become just another mass produced item. Driven by the need to demonstrate the importance of the individual over the means of production Morris used tapestry and textile design to revitalize the central importance of creativity in art.
Its effect was not only felt during the Victorian era, but also well into the 20th century influencing many modern graphic designers to experiment in new areas of design. Morris’s approach, to assume all aspects of a work were open to experiment, has become more commonplace, but was unusual for its day.
Morris was one of the most prolific artists of the 19th century. The works of William Morris are proof that real beauty can be timeless. As popular today as they were over a century ago, Morris’s art has continued to inspire new generations of artists and craftsmen to reach beyond convention and genuinely create.
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