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The influence of William Morris directly impacted upon and shaped the Arts and Craft movement of the 19th Century, his contributions are precursors to the modern movement, and the repercussions of his legacy are still evident today. Although in his time his greatness was largely attributed to his writings primarily as a poet, hindsight pinpoints the direct impact he had on Arts and Craft of the 19th Century and Design today.

The term Arts and Craft was coined by Thomas Cobden-Sanderson in 1888 even though it had been a movement since the beginning of the decade. The movement came into being as a reaction against tradition that put practicality first and didn’t hold a disdain for the machine. It embraces an enormous variety of styles and technically refers essentially to the spirit and ethos of design. The Arts and Craft movement drew upon practical tradition and concern for useful design. Morris believed that handwork allowed the craftsperson creative contribution morally and aesthetically. He was also aware of the alienation of the worker from his work, he actively attempted to solve this problem through his influence in the Socialist and Arts and Craft movements. Morris adopted Ruskin’s belief that objects should not only give pleasure to the user but to the maker as well. These philosophies lay at the heart of the movement.

Morris attempted to create an equal status for the “lesser arts” eg. Architecture and bring them to the level of the established ‘high arts” like painting and sculpture. Morris made the Arts and Crafts respectable. Many significant organizations were established in the 1880’s that gave the movement form and substance. “I argue that how we view the world, and how it should look, changed in the 1880’s under Morris’s influence” (Stansky, p10). Morris was dedicated in improving working conditions and rejected industrialization and the separation of work, leisure and creativity.

Henry Cole believed that good design should equal profit through mass produced goods; Ruskin opposed this view. Ironically Cole and Morris shared the same concern for design and making worthy objects readily available. Morris’ concerns for decorative honesty, truth of material are directly related principles of the Modern movement. He transformed the status of decorative arts challenging mass production to re-establish the importance and integrity of handcrafted work.

Morris was insistent that design should contain simplicity and an unpretentious and honest use of materials. Morris conceived the concept of the Garden City where art and architecture never ignored the essence of human individuality and vitality, creating a relationship with the natural world. Morris’ style echoed the flowing free forms of the natural world and emanated his dedication to history; integrating art and life. He drew inspiration from medieval design, as he believed that it represented the last use of honest design. He believed that people could not flourish unless they protected and were in harmony with their environment. He was prominent in the establishment of the Protection of Ancient Building society. Morris wanted to bring art into people’s lives and make it accessible for all. In his 1877 lecture, ‘The Lesser Arts of Life’ Morris spoke:

I do not want art for a few, any more than education for a few, or freedom for a few art will make our streets as beautiful as the wood …every man’s house will be fair and decent, soothing to his mind and helpful to his work…in no private dwelling will there be any signs of waste, pomp, or insolence, and every man will have his share of the best

Morris never thought that where people lived or what they used in their homes was unimportant his famous golden rule ‘ have nothing in your houses which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful’. He thought it profane that the Middle classes were subjected to a bombardment of low-standard, poorly crafted mass-produced reproductions. His insistence for quality and simplistic design was a covert attack on the 19th century consumerism and production of low quality goods.

The Arts and Craft movement developed under Morris’ omnipresent influence rather than by any direct action. Encounters by foreign artists vary from personal contact to viewing his products. He was a prominent social figure politically and artistically; many influential people of this time were inspired directly or indirectly by him or his work.

“Through the work of the firm and his lectures on art, society, and craftwork, he sent out a large series of radiating influences… the total impact of his ideas and practices… directly and indirectly bringing to birth a wide range of organizations such as the Arts and Craft Movement…” (Lindsy, 1975 pp. 384)

In 1898 his disciple Walter Crane was appointed principal of the Royal College of Art. He led the movement within the school away from ornament to free design. The school in turn widened its curriculum to encompass a wide range of arts. Morris’ life, work and lectures were extremely influential among the young men of Arts and Craft starting their careers.

His genius lay in his enthusiasm enabling him to create the new from his inspiration of the past and nature. He played a significant role in raising the status of the applied arts, vital to his argument was that design was reliant on technical knowledge of the medium being designed. He rediscovered the organic interrelationships between material, the working process, its purpose and the aesthetic form of an object.

“A craft skill can only be learned rightly by the experience of years in the particular work required. The power of each material, and the difficulties connected with its treatment, are not so much to be taught as to be felt; it is only by repeated touch and continued trial beside the forge or the furnace, that the goldsmith can find out how to govern his gold, or the glass-worker his crystal”
William Morris

Morris set a personal example, which was followed by all in the Arts and Craft movement. This brought a shift in design from the conventional ‘Victorian’ design to an amalgamation of his ‘Ruskinian’ view and loyalty to simplistic natural design. He contributed to a significant change in theory and practice of the Arts and Crafts creating ramifications, which continued long after his death and the end of the movement.

He had a keen interest in Architecture and his disillusionment with design at the time led him to commission his friend Philip Webb to build him a house which was named “The Red House”. Morris himself designed and decorated the interior including the furnishings and drapery. All Arts and Crafts houses after it owe a great deal to its principles and innovations of interior design. He established Morris and Co. in 1861 and soon after no fashionable home in England was without some item from the company, the name had become a symbol of good taste. A contemporary writer said, “Morris had changed the look of half the houses in London and substituted art for ugliness all over the kingdom” (Simpson, 1991)

Morris’ ideals transferred and were adopted, creating the basis for the beginning of the German Werkbund and later the Bauhaus. The Werkbund is similar with its ideals of design and concern for honest use of materials and simplicity. It added new meaning by combining architects, craftsmen and manufacturers and adding the awareness of industry and product. Effectively Morris’ artist-craftsman was taken on by Werkbund and then the Bauhaus and through mechanization and production evolved to that of industrial designer. Often seen as the catalyst for modernism Morris would have with no doubt found these additions to his theories contradictory.

His influence is not singularly of predominance in the Arts and Craft movement, its relevance and contribution are still evident even today. ‘Morrisism” was just as much about his standing in and view of politics as his design and products. Many might wave off the Arts and Craft movement purely as the culmination of previous decades quests for aesthetic fulfillment. It was at this time when England was at its greatest power and was having trouble maintaining it that Morris gave her direction through power in manufacturing. The natures of politics were being questioned, as were the arts. These doubts were what drove Morris to achieve arts that were answers to the circumstance of society at this time, a parallel of society and the arts forming politically driven design.

Designers and Craftspeople for the last 100 years have acknowledged the influence that Morris has had on their practices. His writings and lectures have been translated into many languages in his time and ours; they have been highly influential in politics and the arts.

“William Morris’s ideals and principles influenced the Arts and Craft movement… Arts and Crafts emphasized individuality and handcrafted work and stressed the importance of responding to the context of local architectural styles and cultural influences” (Wilhide, 1991 pp. 58)