During this first conference of the 2023 season, Isabelle Cases, a member of our board of trustees and lecturer in British civilisation at the University of Perpignan, introduced a captivated audience to the many talents of William Morris, an architect, painter, designer, poet, writer and essayist. Throughout his work, he strove to promote the concept of art for all in everyday life, a socialist ideal in a Victorian world of thriving capitalism.
Our lecturer highlighted Morris’s legacy to the Glasgow School and the “Four”. She made the connection between W. Morris and C. R. Mackintosh, who was also an architect, a designer and a painter. Along with W Morris’ ideal, Mackintosh’s conception of architecture was that of a comprehensive art in which each building, each room, each decorative element was designed down to the smallest detail, from both an aesthetic and functional perspective.
Happy are those who could attend the conference and enjoy this beautiful work around legacy and connections.
