Snakeshead Possibly 1876 - 1940

William Morris made this textile, Snakeshead, with dyes on cotton. It’s all about layering, a real dance of hues, with a deep teal background bringing out the reds, yellows, and greens in the foreground. You can almost feel the artist working with these colours, choosing them carefully, building up the pattern bit by bit. The texture is flat and smooth, but your eye never stops moving. All these colors and shapes create a complex, layered effect. Look closely at the red flower towards the top; there's a real depth to those petals, like it's blooming right in front of you. It's almost mesmerizing, the way the elements weave together! Morris reminds me a little of Gustav Klimt, both so into pattern and ornamentation, but with a totally different vibe. They both make you think about how our surroundings can be art, and how art can be all around us. It’s about the beauty in the everyday, not just in a painting hanging on a wall.