William Morris and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood: A Revolutionary Artistic Alliance
Explore how William Morris’s connection to the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood shaped his design philosophy and sparked a creative revolution. Discover the story of how Morris, inspired by the PRB’s ideals, transformed art, design, and social ideals, leaving a lasting legacy through the Arts and Crafts Movement.
10/12/20243 min read
In the mid-19th century, Victorian England was bustling with change. The industrial revolution had taken over, and art had become stiff and stifling, bound by tradition. But a young group of artists, poets, and visionaries was about to turn it all upside down. Enter the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), a close-knit band of creatives that sought to breathe new life into art by embracing beauty, honesty, and the vibrant details of the medieval world. And William Morris, an artist and thinker who would leave an indelible mark on design, found his inspiration here.
The PRB was founded by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais, and William Holman Hunt in 1848, right as Morris was coming of age. Although Morris himself wasn’t a founding member, he connected with the Brotherhood through his university friend, Edward Burne-Jones, while studying at Oxford. Burne-Jones introduced him to Rossetti, and their meeting was electric. Rossetti’s passion for a medieval-inspired aesthetic and his fearless defiance of Victorian norms fascinated Morris, who, like the PRB members, felt a growing discontent with the lifelessness of contemporary art and mass-produced goods.
Morris found himself deeply aligned with the PRB’s philosophy. The Brotherhood believed that art should capture beauty in its purest form, free from the constraints of classical traditions and the machine-driven soullessness they saw creeping into every facet of modern life. Their works were full of bright colors, rich details, and subjects that celebrated a more romantic and mythical past. Morris shared this desire to reconnect with a pre-industrial world—a time when art was personal, purposeful, and powerful.
Morris’s relationship with the PRB took shape most vividly in the design of his beloved Red House. This home, which he built with the help of architect Philip Webb, became an icon of Morris’s aesthetic values and a collaborative project for PRB artists. Rossetti, Burne-Jones, and others contributed to the house’s murals, stained glass, and tapestries, all of which celebrated medieval themes. Together, they created an environment that was both stunningly beautiful and imbued with the warmth of handcrafted artistry, marking a direct challenge to the prevailing culture of industrialization.
The Red House wasn’t just Morris’s home; it was a statement. Within its walls, he brought the Brotherhood’s ideals to life, blending the mystical beauty of the past with a commitment to handcraftsmanship. The project marked the beginning of Morris’s lifelong commitment to re-establishing art’s role in daily life. By collaborating with Rossetti and other PRB members, Morris cultivated a shared vision, forming what could be called a “living manifesto” of the Brotherhood’s beliefs. This venture would eventually inspire Morris’s next major pursuit: Morris & Co., a company dedicated to producing furnishings, wallpaper, and textiles that celebrated the artistry of handmade goods.
With Morris & Co., Morris championed the PRB’s ideals on a grander scale. He wanted to craft beautiful objects that spoke to the soul, pieces that people would cherish as more than mere commodities. The PRB’s influence was evident in every Morris design, from the intricate patterns of his textiles to the lush colors of his wallpapers. Inspired by the Brotherhood’s reverence for the natural world and medieval themes, Morris’s designs blossomed into a style that was both accessible and enchanting, a clear echo of the PRB’s romantic and idealistic spirit.
But Morris’s connection to the PRB extended beyond aesthetics; it also touched his social and political views. Like the PRB, he held deep convictions about the role of art in society. He believed that art shouldn’t just belong to the elite—it should be for everyone. This egalitarian belief led him to embrace socialism, advocating for a world where art and labor were valued equally, and every worker could take pride in what they created. To Morris, the PRB’s ideals weren’t just artistic principles; they were a vision for a better world, one where beauty and craftsmanship stood as antidotes to the soullessness of mass production.
Even after the PRB dissolved, their influence resonated through Morris’s work and ideals. He carried the torch of their vision, embedding it within the Arts and Crafts Movement. Through his writing, design, and activism, Morris championed the Brotherhood’s desire for authenticity and truth in art, expanding their vision to a global scale. In doing so, he ensured that their legacy would endure, touching the lives of countless artisans, designers, and everyday people who yearned for beauty in a mechanized world.
The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was more than just an influence on Morris—it was a spark that ignited his life’s work. Together, they imagined a world where art was not just something to observe, but something to live by. And with each wallpaper pattern, each line of poetry, and each social cause he championed, Morris paid homage to the Brotherhood, keeping their spirit alive for future generations to discover and admire.
For those inspired by the artistry of William Morris, explore our collection of Morris-inspired decor at WilliamMorrisArtShop.com, where the legacy of this great visionary lives on.