William Morris: Art and Kelmscott (Occasional Paper (Society of Antiquaries of London), 18)

Published to mark the centenary of William Morris's death, this work presents studies of the work of Morris and his wife, May, with particular reference to Kelmscott Manor, their 16th-century Gloucestershire home. Morris was influential in many spheres, including poetry, painting, design and political activism, and if any one of his creations was to represent all those interests it would be Kelmscott. The book traces its importance in the private and public lives of the Morris family from 1871, when the house was first rented by Morris and the painter D.G. Rossetti, to the death of May Morris in 1938. In support of this close focus on Kelmscott, there are detailed assessments of the Morrises' work, covering topics such as William's early attempts to become a painter, his role as businessman in control of a popular and busy factory and shop, and his development as designer and manufacturer of stained glass. Illustrations show Kelmscott during its restoration, and as it is today.