Your order qualifies for free standard delivery
24th September 2018
We regularly reference the Pre Raphaelites in our blogs, William Morris himself being a part of the second wave of the movement. We wanted to revisit who they were and what they stand for just to give some reference to what we’re talking about in our blogs.
Founded in 1848 in London, the initial movement was opposed to the Royal Academy’s promotion of the idealised version of work from the work of Raphael. Raphael, born in 1483 was an Italian painter and architect off the High Renaissance. You may have heard of him for being part of the ‘trinity’ of great masters of art; together with Michealangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Today, his art can be seen in the Vatican Palace, together with lots of other stunning art from over their extraordinary history. His work was famed for it’s clarity of form and ease of composition.
The movement evolved from the 1848 to the late 19th century as perhaps when we best know the movement, but it started as a group of seven banded together under the same ideals. The name alludes to their preference of the art that came before the work of Raphael.
The painters; Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Frederic George Stephens and James Collinson, the non-painters were sculptor Thomas Woolner and William Micheal Rossetti – Dante’s brother. They were inspired by more of a return to naturalistic inspiration, their ideal was a ‘truth to nature’ where they wanted a return to the simplicity of the art of the earlier periods. There wasn’t a defined aim with the movement or within the group but the ultimate feeling and understanding amongst the group was to modernise art by going back to the practices of the Middle Ages instead of the Raphael dominating influence of the time. Of course, we love the movement as it brought us such stunning art with an influence of nature.
The movement was even mentioned by Charles Dickens himself, the press in general were disparaging towards the movement and Dickens as no different, “the lowest depths of what is mean, odious, repulsive and revolting” was his review of Millais’s painting.
To make it easier to explain we must mention that the ‘original’ movement went through a dissolution in the early 1850s, before the ideals were revived in 1857. It was when the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood’s ideals were redefined by William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and painters – Aurthur Hughes, Valentine Prinsep and more. It was actually classes taught in London by Ruskin, Rossetti, Burne-Jones, Prinsep and Ford Madox Brown at a college with the intent to give the working class men access to an education. It brought back the intentions of the movement and led to the firm, Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. which eventually led to Morris setting up his company Morris & Co.
The ideals behind the firm were ultimately to revive skills such as hand crafting and techniques which were beginning to be lost with the rise of industrialisation occurring at the time. This was a huge push in the Arts and Crafts Movement, for example Morris’ pioneering indigo dye technique which he mastered with his printing process for designs such as Brother Rabbit.
With poems, art, literature and craftsmanship being celebrated from the movement, there’s so much that came from the Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood and we thankfully still have so much of their art and literature to celebrate today. The naturalistic forms of the art in particular, we’re so happy they did – Morris’s naturalistic influences are legendary. Through each of his designs, you can see beautiful influences from his garden and trips to the countryside, we love bringing his adventures into our home even today.
Posted in William Morris by Laura
We’re back open ☺️ sorry we’ve been so quiet on here, we’ve had a few weeks off for holidays 🫶🏻 We’re back now and ready to send out your floral magic kitchenware and fabrics ✨
•
•
•
#printedintheuk #uksmallbusiness #fabricstore #fabrics #valentines
Still dreaming of last summer with my wedding bouquet and our “Jean” design we had for our napkins 🫶🏻 It’s an original Laura’s Beau design out our archive and named after my lovely Nanny, we have it in blue and this sage green, but we’re always dreaming of new colour ways to print it in 💭 What colour do you think would look good? ✨
•
•
•
#smallbusinessowner #bridalbouquets #weddingtable #bouquet #floral
Golden Lily on the table today 🧁 everything should feel special even a little coffee and cake with friends, so we dressed the table up for it to make it extra special, isn’t Golden Lily such a beautiful William Morris design, one of our all time favourites ✨
•
•
•
#williammorris #wmorris #goldenlily #floraltable #floralprint
Gorgeous William Morris Sweet Briar fabric! 🌿 Love the green leaves and pink flowers 🫶🏻 We have it in cotton, heavyweight cotton, and pvc, so you’ll find the perfect fit for your project ✨ 🪡🧵
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisdesign #fabricstash #ukfabric #wmorris
We’re having a moving sale over on our website! ✨ There are some absolute bargains to be had, including all these items! 🛒 Remember we offer free UK postage on all orders too 🌿 Plus we have a 15% off code running at the moment with code; JAN15 🫶🏻
•
•
•
#williammorris #wmorris #smallukbusiness #smallshop #floralprint
We’ve got some fab bundles on our Etsy - we have a lot of offcuts from end of rolls and floral fabric magic can’t be wasted so we bundle them up ✨ Perfect for crafting, we have heavyweight fabric bundles and cotton available now, but hurry, they always sell out quick 🥰
•
•
•
#williammorrisdesign #williammorris #wmorris #fabricstack #ukfabric
Guess who has a new bed for our new offices ✨ The king of naps, he will wake for biscuits, pets and little else during his day in the office 🫶🏻 His bed is covered in our licensed William Morris Willow Bough green and it looks so beautiful 🌿 The perfect bed to nap on all day ✨
•
•
•
#williammorris #wmorris #blacklab #blacklabsquad #dogbeds
Has anyone got any January crafts? ❄️ After we’ve settled in our new office, we’re planning some cosy January crafts whilst we hibernate a little! 🌨️ This board is a beautiful way to display photos and notes that was covered in a fabric we no longer loved so last year I recovered it with something we did like - a range of our exclusive quilting fabrics and now it hangs proudly on the wall, showing you can upcycle things to be something you really love 🫶🏻
•
•
•
#cosycraftclub #crafting #fabric #fabriccraft #upcycle
We’ve been a little quiet on here as we’ve been in the absolute trenches moving our office! ✨ Now we just need to settle in and find everything we’ve shoved in boxes and bags and then stashed in random places(!) but, we’re getting there 🫶🏻 Nothing will change for you ordering but we’ll have a new returns address 📮 It’s taken an absolute task force to move all that fabric and products and we’ve found some things for a little moving sale if anyone is interested… ✨
•
•
•
#williammorris #wmorris #smallbusiness #smallbusinesswomen #uksmallbusiness
Not long to go until Christmas now ✨ Have you got your Christmas table sorted and your presents wrapped? 🎄
•
•
•
#williammorris #wmorris #independantbusiness #christmastable #festivetable
The stockings were hung by the fire with care…✨ A week until Christmas Eve! 🎄 Still lots of time to order since we post the next working day with a 24hr service 🤶🏻
•
•
•
#williammorris #wmorris #christmasgiftidea #smallbusinessgiftguide #christmasstocking
One of our biggest sellers this year for Christmas gifts - our licensed William Morris oven gloves ✨ Practical and stylish, every home needs a set, hanging some Morris floral magic over the cooker 🎄 Lots of designs are still in stock and with our free UK postage being tracked 24 Royal Mail, there’s still quite a few shopping days left until Christmas 📮 (I’ll even gift wrap it for free for you as an option at checkout, even though my own Christmas gifts are all hidden in the wardrobe still to wrap 😂) 🤶🏻🎅🏼
•
•
•
#christmasgiftidea #ovenglove #floralhome #shopindie #williammorris
One pack of napkins folded four ways for Christmas tablescapes ✨ Which is your favourite? 🎄 We always love when a table set up comes with a little chocolate treat 🎅🏼 Beautiful Charlotte Rose is one of our favourites all year round, it can be dressed so many ways from Christmas to summer 🫶🏻
•
•
•
#floralfabric #floraltable #christmasnapkin #christmastable #smallindiebusiness
There’s still plenty of shopping time before Christmas with our free UK postage with Royal Mail tracked 24 📮 We’re also doing free gift wrap on our website as an option at checkout 🤶🏻 Take 15% off too until the 20th December so whether for a gift of Christmas hosting having beautiful florals on the table, use code; FESTIVE at checkout on our website 🎄
•
•
•
#williammorris #giftguide2025 #shopsmallforchristmas #christmasgiftideas #floralprint
Oh Mallow Forest Green, we love you on our festive tablescapes 🎄
•
•
•
#williammorris #wmorris #floraltable #preraphaelite #christmastablesetting
Obsessed with this tree with all the vintage ornaments on the tree this year ✨ They were all grandparents so very special 🎄 having a little coffee and cake whilst the lights twinkle is so lovely ✨ This is our William Morris Golden Lily tablecloth, beautiful year round 🫶🏻
•
•
•
#williammorris #vintage #vintagechristmas #vintagechristmasornaments #floraltable
It’s a blue and white Christmas over here 🙋🏽♀️ We went to the beautiful Christmas event at @harewoodhouse by the wonderfully talented @interiorcurve and we’re so inspired to have a themed blue and white tree and we’re so glad we did! 🤶🏻 This is our William Morris Merton blue, isn’t it beautiful, and so lovely to be able to dress it in various ways throughout the year, it’s so versatile ✨
•
•
•
#williammorris #blueandwhitedecor #floraltablescape #flowerarranging #floralchristmas
What design are you having on your Christmas table? 🎄 We’re debating a few - our new forest green colours, our strawberry thief red, or maybe a Christmas blue and white… ✨
•
•
•
#williammorris #christmastable #christmastablesetting #strawberrythief #floral
Christmas tablescaping all month long ✨ are you feeling festive already? 🎄 This is our Brother Rabbit blue design, isn’t it gorgeous 🌿
•
•
•
#williammorris #williammorrisfabric #williammorrisdesign #christmastable #floraltablescape
BLACK FRIDAY ENDS TONIGHT! ✨ use code; BLACKFRIDAY at checkout on our website to take 20% off everything - go, go, go! 🎄 We also have free gift wrap available at checkout so we can send gifts directly to loved ones or back to you gift wrapped and ready to go, we’re in the festive spirit so will gift wrap whilst we sing along to some festive songs 🤶🏻🎄
•
•
•
#blackfriday #williammorris #wmorris #morrisfabric #floralfabrics
07544 094386
