William Morris and the Bauhaus artists shared a radical vision. Your support can bring it to life – here in Morris's home, in this centenary year of the Bauhaus.
Although working half a century before the Bauhaus opened its doors in 1919, Morris’s ideas about art, craft and community had a profound influence on the seminal German design school. Walter Gropius, its founder, personally acknowledged the debt he owed to “Ruskin and Morris of England”.
But there has never been an exhibition exploring this deep connection. That’s why we’re raising £15,000 to stage Pioneers: William Morris and the Bauhaus this autumn - a historic exhibition uniting the pioneering work of Morris and the Bauhaus.

Gerhard Marcks, Small altarpiece, 1920, Courtesy of Gerhard Marcks Haus, Bremen
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© DACS 2019
Pioneers will bring together more than 60 objects: textiles, furniture, ceramics, sculpture, photography and works on paper, some of which have never been displayed in the UK before. For the first time, objects made at the Bauhaus will be shown side-by-side with works by Morris and his circle, revealing direct links and shared ideas as well as points of contrast.
Artists represented in the exhibition will include Marcel Breuer, Edward Burne-Jones, Walter Crane, Kate Faulkner, Lyonel Feininger, Gerhard Marcks, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Benita Koch-Otte, Lucia Moholy, László Moholy-Nagy, William Morris, Gunta Stölzl, Phillip Webb, Marguerite Friedlander Wildenhain and Iwao Yamawaki.
Your support will realise the final stage of the exhibition: bringing these artworks together, conserving them for display and installing them in our special exhibition space, ready for the 50,000 visitors we expect to receive.

William Morris Point-paper design for Dove and, Rose silk and wool double cloth, 1879
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Collection: William Morris Gallery, Courtesy of William Morris Gallery, London Borough of Waltham Forest
The Arts & Crafts and Bauhaus movements share many common values. Perhaps the most important is the belief that design can change the world. We think it’s time these shared values were fully explored through the incredible artworks they inspired. Please help us stage this landmark exhibition, the first of its kind anywhere in the world.