William Morris Tapestries

 Designer Wall Tapestries is proud to offer tapestries of William Morris- art and crafts movement including the famous tree of life, Pomona and flora tapestries in various sizes. Tapestries today are owed much to the vigor and freedom bought by the Arts and Crafts movement headed by William Morris. William Morris is best known for his Tree of Life tapestry. William Morris is known to have revived many old crafts; tapestry weaving being one of the beneficiaries of his fresh vision and creative energy. William Morris was born in Walthamstow, Essex, on 24 March 1834. The son of a wealthy businessman, he enjoyed a comfortable childhood before going to Marlborough and Exeter College, Oxford. Tapestry wall hangings were an inspiration to William Morris. He visited French weavers in 1878 and described the workshops at Aubusson as 'a decaying commercial industry of rubbish'. A year later he had a high-warp loom built in his bedroom where he taught himself to weave from an 18th century French craft manual. With colleagues and friends he designed tapestry wall hangings like the Woodpecker, and the tree of life tapestry. William Morris inspiration was based on medieval styles and techniques. The weavers at Morris and Co. achieved commercial success and, more importantly revived the ailing craft.