The Art of Wallpaper: Morris & Co. is a vibrant exhibition exploring the beauty, craftsmanship and enduring appeal of William Morris’s iconic designs. The exhibition brings together more than 30 original wallpapers from the archives of Morris & Co. and offers a rare opportunity to see original, much-loved and well-known designs. Visitors will be able to get up close to original wallpaper and marvel at meticulous hand-printing techniques.

William Morris was renowned for his deep love of nature and commitment to craftsmanship, placing process, natural design and integrity at the heart of his work. Originally curated by wallpaper and textile historian Mary Schoeser, The Art of Wallpaper: Morris & Co. will reveal the stories behind the patterns, from intricate studies of flora and fauna to the hand-printing techniques that defined the Arts and Crafts ethos. Visitors to this William Morris exhibition in Surrey will gain fresh insight into Morris’s creative vision, his collaborative practice, and the principles that made his work revolutionary.

The exhibition also explores the rich connections between William Morris and May Morris and the circle of artists associated with Watts Gallery, including George Frederic Watts, Mary Watts and the De Morgans. Exhibition highlights include the portrait of William Morris (1870) by G F Watts generously loaned from the National Portrait Gallery.

The Art of Wallpaper celebrates the artistry of Morris & Co. and its designers, whose work transformed Victorian interiors and continues to shape modern design today.

Exhibition partners

Exhibition loaned by Sanderson Design Group Archive, London and organised by Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh.

What to expect

Get ready for a beautiful deep dive into the story behind some of the most iconic wallpaper designs in British history. This exhibition brings together framed wallpapers in glass cases, so you can get up close to the intricate patterns and craftsmanship that made William Morris and his contemporaries so influential.

Before you step into the first room, you'll meet How Much is Enough?, a thought provoking two screen film by artist Freddie Yauner that imagines a conversation between William Morris and George Frederic Watts. Inside, you'll wander through rooms exploring the French influence and Victorian tastes that Morris pushed back against with his rejection of fussy, flowery styles, the Reform Movement's design rebels who championed honesty and craftsmanship, over the top decoration, the Japanese wallpapers that reveal how global trade and travel shaped British design in surprising ways, the Morris family and firm from Red House to Merton Abbey, including the brilliant designers who worked alongside him and the Arts and Crafts Movement that Morris helped build, along with its lasting legacy today.

Keep an eye out for the third room too, home to Heterotopia, a striking contemporary piece by Dr Louise Atkinson that brings together May Morris's Arcadia design and Mary Watts's tree of life motifs to explore Victorian dreams of a better, more harmonious world. There's also a large tracing activity for younger visitors (and let's be honest, plenty of grown ups too) to get hands-on with pattern making.