Wakges: William Morris and the Thames Tributaries

Illustration: William Morris. Evenlode, 1883-4.

In the early to mid-1880s arguably at the height of William Morris creative career or at least his most commercially successful, he produced a set of seven designs that were each named after a different tributary of the Thames. The rivers, in no order of preference or design date were: Evenlode, Kennet, Wey, Windrush, Cray, Wandle and Medway. Morris did produce a number of other designs based on English river names, but the Thames river set are an interesting small sample of Morris work produced during a highly creative and productive period of a couple of years. All are linked by the Thames itself, but they also incorporate a number of other details that were much more fundamental to the work of Morris.

Illustration: William Morris. Kennet, 1883-4.

Probably the most notable aspect that links all of these designs together is the flowing, even meandering feel that the design work has. It is immediately noticeable that there are thick lines represented by foliage stems, which wander through the design from top to bottom. Some are more forthright on their journey across the design, while others take their time and often seem as if they are going to double-back before reaching the top of the piece. It could be said that these Morris design pieces pre-empt the Art Nouveau movement and that perhaps the movement could have been inspired by the work of Morris, but it seems more likely that the work of the Art Nouveau designers and that of Morris was coincidental, both using the natural curves of nature as an observational motif. Interestingly it can be seen in the initial design work produced by Morris himself, how important the central meandering line truly is to the integrity of the full design.

Illustration: William Morris. Wey, 1883-4.

However, Morris use of the meandering line was not just an affectation, as could be argued for that of the Art Nouveau movement. Morris wanted to express his love of and observation of, the river Thames and its tributaries by producing design work that would be both an observational and symbolic representation of the river. Morris was using the tenet of John Ruskin, a man Morris both admired and whose word he implicitly followed, particularly when it came to describing the acute observational techniques of the natural world that needed to be used when producing both art and design work.

Illustration: William Morris. Windrush, 1883-4.

By looking at the design work again, it can be seen that the meandering line through the work is only the most prominent of many wandering lines. There are many smaller lines that meander throughout the design work. These small lines in fact represent the small streams that flow into the tributaries, which in turn flow into the Thames. These small streams and tributaries seem to be represented by tangled and complex aspects of foliage, which in fact they are. They both represent the slow, languid meandering of the peaceful and tranquil tributaries of the Thames, but at the same time they are also able to represent the rich foliage that grows along the riverbanks of these rivers and streams.

Illustration: William Morris. Cray, 1883-4.

These seven pieces of design work are meant to show the full rounded aspect of the river Thames, from its many small and wide tributaries to its rich floral riverbanks. This was a set of work produced by someone who was in love with his subject matter. The Thames meant a great deal to Morris as it had always been a constant through his often turbulent life. It was with him through his early life, his time at Oxford, and later in life, it was the setting for his successful textile and wallpaper production, these seven pieces were in fact designed and then printed on the banks of the river Thames.

Illustration: William Morris. Wandle, 1883-4.

Very often, these seven pieces of design work are not seen as a separate collection, and to be honest much of the work produced at the same time as the Tributary series does seem remarkably similar in style, colour and composition. However, there is something fundamental that does link the series and that is both Morris love for the Thames and his passion for the acute observational use of nature as both an inspiration and as a subject matter. To understand Morris is to understand more than the medieval fantasy of his early years or the socialist dreaming of his later life. He was a fundamental believer in both the beauty of nature and the immediacy of first hand observation. Both were a vital essence to his personal and professional life, and it is perhaps this that helps to raise the design work of Morris from much of the decorative arts work of the Victorian era.