William Morris Art: Prints, Wall Art Ideas and Where to See His Work

Most people know William Morris for his wallpapers. But Morris also painted, designed stained glass, wove tapestries, decorated books by hand and printed some of the most admired books ever made. This is a guide to all of it, and to living with William Morris art at home today.

Whether you are researching Morris for a class, planning a trip to see his work, or looking for William Morris wall art for your home, you will find it here: his art forms, where to see the originals, and a practical buying guide for William Morris posters, framed prints and canvas.

What kinds of art did William Morris make?

Morris believed there was no real line between fine art and decorative art. A tapestry could be as serious as a painting, and a well printed book as beautiful as a cathedral window. So he tried almost everything.

Was William Morris a Pre-Raphaelite artist?

Not officially, but he was very close to them. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was founded in 1848 by young painters including Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who wanted art to return to the bright color and honest detail of painting before Raphael.

Morris met Rossetti at Oxford in the late 1850s and joined his group painting murals in the Oxford Union. His best friend, Edward Burne-Jones, became one of the leading painters of the second wave of Pre-Raphaelite art. Jane Morris became one of Rossetti's most famous models.

So Morris sits at the meeting point of two movements. His early painting and poetry belong to the Pre-Raphaelite world. His design work led the Arts and Crafts Movement. You can read how those threads came together in our William Morris biography.

Did William Morris paint?

He did, but only briefly. Under the influence of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Morris tried painting in the late 1850s. He finished just one oil painting, La Belle Iseult (1858), now at Tate Britain. It shows Jane Burden, who married Morris the following year, as Iseult mourning Tristram.

Look at the painting closely and you can see where his real talent lay: the rich patterned fabrics, the rug, the bed hangings and the book. Morris struggled with the figure but was already a master of pattern.

What stained glass did William Morris make?

Stained glass was one of the Firm's first big successes. Burne-Jones usually drew the figures, and Morris chose the colors and designed the leafy backgrounds. The V&A notes that many early commissions came from churches, and the firm went on to create windows for a number of new church buildings across Britain. Their windows can still be seen in churches, cathedrals and college chapels.

Did William Morris make tapestries?

Yes. Morris taught himself to weave on a loom set up in his bedroom, rising early to practice before the day's work. At Merton Abbey the firm then wove large figurative tapestries.

The most famous are the Holy Grail tapestries, designed with Burne-Jones and woven between 1891 and 1894. Morris also designed embroideries from his earliest years, and in 1885 he put his daughter May, then just 23, in charge of the firm's embroidery.

What was the Kelmscott Press?

Between 1870 and 1875 Morris wrote out and decorated 21 manuscript books by hand, teaching himself several scripts and how to lay gold. One of them, A Book of Verse (1870), was a gift for Georgiana Burne-Jones.

In 1891 he brought these ideas to print by founding the Kelmscott Press in Hammersmith. He designed his own typefaces, borders and initials, and chose hand made paper. The Press's masterpiece, The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, known as the Kelmscott Chaucer, was finished in 1896 with woodcut illustrations after Burne-Jones. The V&A covers this story in detail in its article on Morris's literature and book design.

Why is pattern his greatest art?

Because it is where everything came together: his drawing, his love of nature, his color sense and his skill at making something repeat endlessly without looking mechanical. His patterns were designed for real homes, and they still work in real homes today.

That is why we print them. Explore his best known patterns in our guide to William Morris designs, from Trellis in 1864 to Willow Bough in 1887.

What happened to Morris art after he died?

When Morris died in 1896, his assistant John Henry Dearle became the firm's chief designer. Dearle had trained under Morris and designed many patterns in his style, which is why some famous "Morris" designs, such as Golden Lily, are actually by Dearle. May Morris continued to lead embroidery, edit her father's writings and lecture on his work.

Morris and Co. carried on until 1940. Since then, his designs have been reissued by many makers, and because his work is now in the public domain, anyone can reproduce his original patterns. That is part of why Morris is everywhere today, on walls, cushions, mugs and prints.

Is a William Morris print the same as the original?

No, and it is worth being clear about that. The original wallpapers and fabrics were printed by hand from carved wooden blocks and dyed with natural colors. Those originals are held by galleries, archives and private collectors.

A modern William Morris print, like ours, is a new print made from an image of his design. We start from images of original Morris works, remove stains, creases and fading, check the file for every size we sell, and print it to order on paper or canvas. Some designs also come in new colorways, and the product title always tells you. Read how in our public domain policy and How we print.

What you get is the pattern Morris drew, clean and sharp, at a size that fits your wall, for far less than an antique.

Where can I see William Morris art in person?

Many other houses and galleries in Britain, the United States and Australia hold Morris and Co. work too, so it is worth checking your local museum.

How do I choose William Morris wall art?

Here is a simple, three step way to choose.

Step 1: pick the design

Start with the feeling you want. Calm: Willow Bough. Joyful: Strawberry Thief. Dramatic: Acanthus. Cottage: Trellis. You can see all of them in our designs guide or browse the full collection.

Step 2: pick the format

Step 3: pick the size

Above a sofa or bed, choose a print about two thirds the width of the furniture. In a hallway, hang it with the centre about 145 to 150 cm (57 to 60 in) from the floor. Sizes appear in inches in the US and Canada and in centimeters elsewhere. Every detail is in How we print.

William Morris art ideas, room by room

Living room

Go big. A large Acanthus or Strawberry Thief canvas above the sofa makes the pattern the star. Keep the other walls plain.

Bedroom

Choose calm. Willow Bough or Willow in a framed poster above the bed feels restful and light.

Kitchen and dining room

Choose cheerful. Strawberry Thief, Trellis or Brother Rabbit bring color and a little humour. A framed poster is easier to wipe than paper.

Hallway

Choose rhythm. A pair of matching posters with hangers, or a small gallery wall of three designs in the same colors, turns a corridor into a welcome.

Home office

Choose focus. Pimpernel or Kennet have enough movement to keep the space alive without distracting you.

Are William Morris prints good gifts?

Very. They suit almost any style of home, they mean something to people who love art, history or gardens, and a framed poster arrives ready to hang. At checkout, simply enter the recipient's address as the shipping address. Delivery times by country are on our shipping page.

How do I care for my William Morris print?

• Hang it out of direct sunlight. Strong sun fades any print over time.
• Keep it away from damp walls, radiators and steamy rooms.
• Dust with a soft, dry cloth. Never use water or spray on paper or canvas.

Art is man's expression of his joy in labour.

Last updated September 2026. Written by the William Morris Art Prints team.