The William Morris Gallery summer show explores William Morris’s remarkable achievements in calligraphy and manuscript illumination. From his early—and continuous—interest in medieval manuscripts to the founding of the Kelmscott Press, Morris was enraptured by beautiful books. The exhibition focuses on the 1870s, his most intense period of calligraphic activity, often collaborating with Edward Burne-Jones on the illustrations. The exhibits demonstrate his extraordinary range of interests from the Icelandic sagas to the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Important loans from other British institutions (including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Society of Antiquaries, the Wellcome Institute, and the Bodleian Library) the make this a must-see for all those interested in William Morris and the art of writing. Morris produced in all fewer than two dozen calligraphic works so this is a rare opportunity to see many of them in a single exhibition.19 June–22 August 2010Lloyd ParkForest RoadLondon E17 4PP UK
020 8496 4390
Illustration: William Morris, Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (facsimile) (William Morris Gallery, London Borough of Waltham Forest).
