William De Morgan (1839-1917) was a renowned English ceramicist. He was a key figure in the Arts and Crafts movement, which emphasized traditional craftsmanship as a reaction to the industrialization of the late 19th century.
Morgan attended the Royal Academy of Arts in London, where he studied fine art, but upon meeting William Morris, the artist, he dropped out to pursue a career as a designer. From 1863 to 1872, he worked with William Morris at Morris’ company, where he designed tiles, stained glass, and furniture. His tiles often recall medieval or Islamic design patterns. While working there he developed his unique glazes, especially luster glazes, that gave a shimmering quality to his ceramics.
Eventually, De Morgan started his own company, where he continued to make distinctive vases and tiles. His tiles became particularly popular as they often featured animals, flowers, and fantastical creatures. Despite the success of the tiles, the company struggled financially as it proved hard to make intricately designed and complicated glazes profitably. Despite his sadness at closing the business, he rallied with a second career as a popular novelist.
Our card, Sunflower Tile Design is based on a tile that William De Morgan designed and which today can be seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Collections of his work can be seen in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, and at the De Morgan Foundation located in Barnsley, UK which has an unparalleled collection of his work and the work of his wife, the artist Evelyn De Morgan, who was associated with the Pre-Raphaelite movement.
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