William Morris (and more) shines at the Art Gallery of South Australia

I'm back already as I couldn't wait to share with you some images of the recently transformed gallery 18 at the Art Gallery of South Australia highlighting some of the William and May Morris collection along with other Arts & Crafts and Pre-Raphaelite highlights. Yesterday I took the train to the city while the weather was nice as this coming week we are expecting a heatwave of four days straight over 40C!! And what a treat it all is and I was incredibly excited to see some of my most favourite pieces are hanging so that will be wonderful for locals and also for the international and interstate visitors that join me on the Renaissance Tours next year. According to the Art Gallery's website the Morris collection comprises 279 works so in this space there is only room for about one eighth of that.....but how glorious and splendid it all looks and I can visit it anytime I like with the little people in tow too!.....

The images below include an ornate 'Persian Brocatel' silk covered chair and a carpet both designed by John Henry Dearle. The silk 'Oak' table cover and reproduction 'Honeysuckle and Tulip' wallpaper were designed by William Morris. The portrait is of Tennyson by George Frederick Watts with the chair on the right designed by William Holman Hunt along with a fireplace designed by Charles Voysey.... 

 An engraving of William Morris by Malcolm Osborne after Watts portrait is on display as well (with the Tiffany windows reflecting on the glass).........

 and one of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's portraits 'The Loving Cup'........

 The 'Adoration of the Magi' tapestry is hanging once again and looking glorious alongside several pencil and charcoal on paper studies by Edward Burne Jones...

This precious manuscript was published by Morris at his Kelmscott Press in the year that he died......

 My most favourite piece from the collection is this stunning embroidery 'Acanthus Portiere' and it is always a highlight when I am able to share it with visitors that I have taken to the gallery. I am so thrilled it is hanging but the photos do not do it justice. With one hand still out of action from surgery I was unable to use my camera so these were the best I could get on my mobile phone - the background is actually cream but I think the scarlet painted walls have given it a pink tone! This is another stunning design by John Henry Dearle and was embroidered in silk on linen by Mary Isobel Barr Smith and you can purchase adapted reproduction fabrics and wallpapers today in this very design from Morris & Co who call it Mary Isobel.......

 There are many May Morris designed embroideries in the Art Gallery's collection and some years ago I had the opportunity of seeing some of May's original drawings at the Ashmolean Museum on one of our UK Tours with Helen of Whitecroft Tours who coincidentally has just made available some more spaces in our two tours in just over eight months time! Do join us if you want more of this!!! Back to our collection here at home......

 I have written about the Art Gallery collection in both my books but especially in my second book "More William Morris in Appliqué" (now out of print), about the contribution of Robert and Joanna Barr Smith who furnished several Adelaide homes extensively with Morris & Co furnishings. It is thought that the Barr Smiths were the biggest international client of Morris & Co. and I love the enlarged photo in the gallery of one of the rooms from their family home at Torrens Park.......it is lovely to scrutinise the detail and one can only imagine how full of Morris & Co it really was! 

 Robert Barr Smith even had his own Morris & Co. wallpaper sample book and all 152 pages of it!!...

 There is evidence of more of the Arts & Crafts movement in Adelaide from the 19th and 20th centuries in other parts of the gallery too.........

 And the Barr Smith's magnificent George Jack Bric-a-brac cabinet from 1885......

 I've been doing some research on the Arts & Crafts Movement in South Australia and in particular the School of Design set up in the 1800's so it is always nice to see work from around this period on display......

 And more evidence of the influence of Morris is seen in other parts of the gallery......

Galleries 1-5 but especially Gallery 1 have a wonderful merging of indigenous art meeting early colonial Australia that I loved........

 So if you haven't been to our Art Gallery lately do put it on your list of things to do as there is so much to see besides Morris.....I am always happy to join you!