William Morris and his fascination with carpets from the Middle East

April 9, 2016 14.15 at The William Morris Society, Kelmscott House

William Morris was intrigued by carpets from the Middle East. In 1877 he wrote to a friend, ‘I saw yesterday a piece of ancient Persian, time of Shah Abbas (our Elizabeth’s time), that fairly threw me on my back: I had no idea that such wonders could be done in carpets…’ Morris started to collect as early as the 1860s and became a respected authority, acting as an adviser to the V&A and encouraging the Museum’s purchase of the famous Ardabil carpet. This talk will explore Morris’s fascination with these textiles and how it influenced his own practice as a designer.

Anna Mason is Curator & Manager of the William Morris Gallery.

Tickets: £12 (non-members); £10 (members); £5 (students)

Book online or contact us at admin@williammorrissociety.org.uk