Antony Buxton - William Morris: The Life of Art and the Art of Life

William Morris is rightly celebrated as a designer and craftsman, who as a young man decided to dedicate his life to art to counter the ugly industrial world he saw around him. He was also a deeply reflective man and held passionate views on the quality of life which should be available to all, expressed in his considerable output of poetry and political writings. This talk draws together the work of Morris the designer and artist, his own life experience, and his views on 'the art of life', and reflects on how the River Thames was an inspirational thread which ran through his creative life.

 

Antony Buxton is a Visiting Fellow and Lecturer in Design and Art History at Kellogg College, Oxford. He has lectured on historic furnishings at Christie's Education, and was a furniture designer - training in the Arts and Crafts tradition, and a historic furniture conservator. His recent writing has focussed on the social dynamic of country houses, the furnishing of workers' homes, and furniture making in the twentieth century.

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Members of the audience will also have the opportunity to view the historic John Lewis archive textile collection.

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Ticket Price includes tea and cake after the talk.