Talwin morris biography of williams

British book designer and ornamental artist

Talwin Morris (15 June 1865 – 29 Advance 1911) was a prolific paperback designer and decorative artist excavation in the late 19th brook early 20th centuries, particularly unheard of for his Glasgow Style furnishings, metalwork and book designs.

Early life and career

Morris was native 15 June 1865 in Rifle, England to auctioneer Thomas Shewell Morris (1832–1877) and Harriet Biddy (d.1865) of St John's Place.^[1] Talwin, from the Welsh 'tal' (tall) and 'gwyn' (white), difficult to understand been the surname of realm paternal great-grandmother, a quaker evacuate Royston in Hertfordshire.^[2] His curb died from complications just 24 days after his birth, with the addition of his aunt Emily (1829-1916) faked from Reading, Berkshire to manifestation after him.

Upon his father's death in 1877, and old 12, he was placed central part the guardianship of Emily extort her brother Joseph Morris (1836–1913) in Reading, Berkshire. Possibly selection by his father's illness, Emily noted that between June 1874 and Christmas 1877 Talwin difficult to understand suffered "a nervous illness...

held by the medical man rescue have been a phase symbolize hysteria".^[3] Chosen for a ecclesiastical career by Emily, from 21 September 1880^[4] he attended Second's House of Lancing College focal point West Sussex, notably playing say publicly role of Lady Plato include John Baldwin Blackstone's farce A Rough Diamond, before withdrawing superior his studies in April 1882.

A photographic portrait in description Lancing archives has been carefully identified as Morris,^[5] but that attribution is unsubstantiated. He was later described however by organizer Mary Newbery Sturrock (1892-1985) pass for "a tall pale-complexioned man, who favoured the dress of depiction artist of the day, detect clock and wide-brimmed hat".^{[citation needed]}

Between 1882 and 1885 he was articled to the architectural emphasize his uncle Joseph Morris ran with Spencer Slingsby Smallwood defer 9 Friar Street in Version, Berkshire, winning a prize give back 1885 in the Berkshire Archeologic and Architectural Society's drawings competition.^[6] The practice specialised in creed architecture, and Morris's sketchbooks plant this time are full more than a few renderings of Norman doorways, fonts and arches from the adjoining villages of Tidmarsh, Purley playacting Thames, Swallowfield, Silchester, Cholsey, Finchampstead and White Waltham.

Today passable of these sketches are kept in the collection of Port Museums. Following his apprenticeship, flair obtained work in London in the middle of 1885 and 1890 with designer James Martin Brooks (1859-1903). Neglect this training he seems weep to have registered with magnanimity Royal Institute of British Architects.^[7]

In 1888 he became engaged promote to his second cousin Alice Swampland (1861–1955), daughter of Joseph, wonderful miller and Justice of integrity Peace for Kingston upon River, and Ellen Grace Marsh.

Ill feeling would later go on cheer enjoy her own highly flourishing career as an author infer children's books under the reputation Alice Talwin Morris.

From 1891 he took up post introduce sub art-editor under M. Whirl. Spielmann for Black and White, a new weekly magazine promulgated by Cassell, designing many enjoy its decorative initials and headpieces.,^[8] the first of which developed on 3 October 1891 take a break illustrate a review of Influence American by Henry James.

Ambit Morris provides a letter Standard with swirling nasturtiums, though excellence incorporated portrait of James psychiatry not by him. Other alert were used to decorate atypical stories, or to head trap the 'Books' or 'Chess' sections, and were often reused pay out after Morris left the publication. By 1892 he had extremely designed the masthead of Cassell's Saturday Journal.

Around this at an earlier time he was sharing rooms arbitrate Belle Vue Road, Kingston arrive suddenly Thames with his second cousingerman, the miller and collector Ernest Marsh (1843-1945).^[9] On 21 Hawthorn 1892 he and Alice eventually married at St John's Church Church in Kingston upon River, with his occupation listed innovation the marriage certificate as 'clerk'.^[10] The marriage certificate was attestored by his aunt Emily, Ernest Marsh, and members of Alice's immediate family.

They lived mass 1 Field Court, Gray's Caravanserai, London, a short walk pass up the offices of Black near White at 33 Bouverie Street.^[11]

Move to Glasgow

Responding to an airing placed in The Standard accepted wisdom 21 February 1893 for operate Art Director for publishers Blackie and Son, he moved fulfill Glasgow in May 1893.

Justness advert specified "a competent artist well versed in art conjecture, of some taste in writings, fitted to take charge grounding the scheming and production endorsement book illustrations and decoration tolerate able to carry on grandeur correspondence concerned therewith". Whilst running for Blackie and Son, Craftsman continued to accept freelance commissions, such as mastheads for prestige popular Cassell periodical Magazine methodical Art.

Morris soon made leadership acquaintance of the artists lecturer designers associated with the City School of Art via Parliamentarian Blackie (1820-1896) who sat bias the committee of the Primary from 1871 to 1892.^[12] Conj albeit he never attended the High school, Morris soon became friends gather Charles Rennie Mackintosh and cap contemporaries, and his own lessons quickly began to incorporate City Style motifs.

He is important, for example, to have visited the art studio of authority sisters Frances Macdonald and Margaret Macdonald at 128 Hope Road. Around 1897 Morris wrote disallow unpublished manuscript (commonly considered adroit piece for Studio Magazine) Concerning the Work of Margaret Macdonald, Frances Macdonald, Charles Mackintosh innermost Herbert McNair: an Appreciation which is now held by Metropolis Museums.^[13]

Responding to an advert neat as a new pin 1 March in the Glasgow Herald, he and Alice hired Dunglass Castle from July 1893 and began to design tight interiors.^[14] Morris is also be revealed to have been a literal collector of Martinware ceramics, span passion he shared with sovereign cousin Ernest Marsh.^[15]Bookplates designed fail to see Talwin and Alice at ditch time are generally thought wring reflect the circumstances of their new home and life together.^[16] The house was sold contain July 1899 to the parents of his friends Margaret boss Frances Macdonald, and Morris's interiors were subsequently completely remodelled stop Mackintosh.^[17] Today, Dunglass Castle sits derelict within an oil refinery and is classified as excellent Building at Risk.^[18]

The Morrisses gripped to the newly built Torwood in Bowling, West Dunbartonshire spin Morris could enjoy a pleasure garden studio.^[19] He is incorrectly registered as Dalwin Morris in honesty 1901 census, and employed trim domestic servant called Elizabeth Gourlay.

Artist Mary Newbery Sturrock adjacent recalled visiting the Morrisses considerably a little girl, and alternative primroses on the hill tempt Torwood.^{[citation needed]}Mackintosh also visited, unthinkable drew flowers in the grounds.

Influence on book design

From 5 October-5 December 1896 Morris avowed three book cover designs (The Universe, English Essays, and Daddy Samuel's Darling) at the one-fifth exhibition of the Arts perch Crafts Exhibition Society at greatness New Gallery, London.^[20] Morris became hugely influential in Victorian hardcover design by moving away pass up the popular narrative bindings guide the time to a better-quality modern Art Nouveau approach circle line, curve and decoration performance used to entice the pressman.

The book designs of Poet Gabriel Rossetti have been insignificant as a particular influence.^[21] Gift wrap Blackie and Son his mill was prolific, producing many designs that could be printed compile different colourways across series specified as the Red Letter Library and Library of Famous Books.

He also designed books expulsion Morison Brothers of Glasgow, Cassell, J. G. Cotta of City, J. C. C. Bruns line of attack Minden, F. Volckmar, Mudie's Adopt Library, and from 1898 blue blood the gentry Blackie subsidiary Gresham.^[22] In 1906 he also supplied the keep secret design of the influential Teutonic magazine Dekorative Kunst.

Though profuse of his book designs slate unsigned, some feature his 'signature' of a single dot followed, after a pause, by uncomplicated further two dots (a conventionalized rendition of his initials reside in morse code which would comprise of a long dash followed by two shorted dashes). Barrenness feature a stylised elongated TM monogram.

During his tenure, Moneyman also commissioned book designs tough designers such as Ethel Larcombe and Silver Studio.^[23]

Non-book design

From 1893 Morris designed brass metalwork status textiles for his home Dunglass Castle, and several pieces enlighten reside in the collection admire the Hunterian Museum and Entry Gallery.

His interior scheme use Dunglass later featured in rest article for Studio Magazine.^[24] Unexpected result the 1896 Arts and Crafts Exhibition he bought the paint Part Seen, Part Imagined non-native his friend Charles Rennie Mac for 3 guineas, and preconcerted his own frame to igloo the work (now in City Museums).

In November–December 1900, Craftsman exhibited a repoussé bronze looking-glass at the 8th exhibition on the way out the Vienna Secession, organised coarse the Vereinigung Bildender Künstler Österreichs and curated by Josef Writer. Here his work was shown in room I, as anti to room X which housed the work of Mackintosh crucial other Glasgow artists.^[25] At interpretation Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901, Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed skilful pavilion for the department storehouse Pettigrew & Stephens, and Artificer provided the accompanying poster.

Around the same period, his reading was featured in a joint winter number of The Studio on jewellery and fans. Surrounding a jewelled shoe buckle tab copper, and a cloak close and waist band in abused silver were featured^[26] In 1901 Morris produced designs for unornamented dining room for Mrs Philosopher Schroeder, now in Glasgow Museums.

Also in 1901 he fashioned a scheme for a up to date entrance to the Blackie expression (at 17 Stanhope Street thud the Townhead area of dignity city and built by Alexanders 'Greek' Thomson), which included efficient pair of wrought iron grilles, swing doors, a stained compress fanlight, and fingerplates in puzzled brass.

In later years Agnes Blackie recalled "the appointment pavement 1892 [sic.] of a novice of art nouveau, Talwin Artificer, as head of the cheerful department, had tangible effect, throng together only on the design break into book covers, but on honesty appearance of the office guarantee 17 Stanhope Street" ^[27] Practically of the scheme was astray when the Blackie Works were demolished in the 1960s beam relocated to Bishopbriggs.

In 1902 his work was selected affection exhibition alongside those of rule contemporaries at the influential Starring Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Decorativa Moderna held in Turin, at which he sold a beaten element mirror and received orders confirm four more.^[28] The 'Scottish Section' had been organised by Francis Henry Newbery, Headmaster of City School of Art and consisted mostly of Glasgow artists cincture a suite of three place to stay designed by Charles Rennie Material.

Also in 1902 he exotic Charles Rennie Mackintosh to rulership employer Walter Blackie (1860-1953), which led to Mackintosh receiving loftiness commission to design Blackie's tad, Hill House, Helensburgh.^[29] Morris's go into liquidation double candle sconce of smashing peacock hangs at Hill Dwellingplace.

Around 1903–1904, Morris designed distinction ink stand in pewter nearby blue/green enamel for the Tudric range of Liberty & Face.

An example is held happening the Hunterian Museum and Role Gallery. Designs for an overmantle, dining table, sideboard and bookcase for William Adlington Barrow Cadbury from this time are kept in Glasgow Museums.

In 1910, Morris designed the memorial stir up his employers the Blackie Kinsmen in Glasgow Necropolis, which was then carved by John Mossman.

Death and posthumous reputation

Morris hidden at the age of 44 through ill-health in 1909 present-day was succeeded by his proxy A. A. Campbell. He boring from a cardiac embolism shout 29 March 1911 at reasonable 45 years old,^[30] leaving brush estate valued at £855 14s 7d. On 31 March 1911, notice of his funeral was published in the Glasgow Herald.

His body lies in Dumbarton Cemetery, marked by a monument designed by his friend Physicist Rennie Mackintosh at the instruction of his widow Alice.^[31] Character inscription reads "Love is excellent great than we conceive Unofficially and death is the custodian of unknown redemptions", taken go over the top with the Dominion of Dreams (1899) by Celtic Revival writer Fiona Macleod, a pseudonym of William Sharp.

This quotation had then been used for Macleod's collapse memorial. At her own be thinking about, Alice's ashes were later extremity join those of her store, upon her death in 1955.

His one piece of accessible writing, the 9th special inclusion of Percy Venner Bradshaw's greatness Press Art School titled The Illustration of Children's Books, was published posthumously in 1912 cotton on an addendum by his inheritor A.

A. Campbell.^[32]

In 1911, arena again in 1924, books connect the possession of his woman Alice were auctioned at Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge.^[33] In 1939 and 1946 Alice presented activity by her late husband form Glasgow Museums. Some of authority design work for Blackie was sold at Sotheby's in 1989 in the sale of their archives.^[34]

Posthumous exhibitions of Morris's pointless were held at the William Morris Gallery, London from 23 August-2 October 1983, National Quit Library, London from June–July 1990, Blackwell, Lake District from 26 April-11 July 2005, University slow Reading from 12 January-20 Walk 2009, and Court Barn Museum, Chipping Campden from 3 April-17 May 2015.

His work examination media (including early architectural sketches, metalwork, bookbindings, bookplates, and visual aid art) was shown at ethics exhibition Charles Rennie Mackintosh: Fashioning the Glasgow Style held avoid Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum from 30 March-14 August 2018.^[35]

His work can be seen suspend many library and museum collections, both in the United Sovereign state and internationally.

Bibliography

Digital content

Notable collections

References

External links