It’s no secret that the Morris & Co. style has seen a resurgence of popularity in the 21st century, but how did William Morris’s love of the ‘whole art’ of textile printing, influence pattern designers and British manufacturing in the industrialised 20th century?

Beginning with the formation of the Design and Industries Association in 1915, this talk will look at the narratives of hope, intention, invention and compromise, pursued by the next generation of progressive textile manufacturers. Men and women of energy and integrity, they sought to fulfill Morris’ ideal of design democracy through enlightened education, and the technological promise of the ‘art and industry’ movement in Britain.

The talk will be illustrated with textiles dating from the 1920s to the 1990s, influenced directly and indirectly by William Morris’ ideas and Morris & Co. designs.

Dr Keren Protheroe is a design historian, previously archivist at Liberty London and Arthur Sanderson & Sons.