Jane Morris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Morris
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Jane Morris, 1865
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| Born |
Jane Burden
19 October 1839 Oxford, England
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| Died | 26 January 1914 (aged 74) Bath, England
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| Occupation | Embroiderer, artist's model |
| Known for | Embroidery and Pre-Raphaelites |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | Jenny Morris May Morris |
| Relatives | Elizabeth Burden (sister) |
Jane Morris (born Jane Burden; 19 October 1839 – 26 January 1914) was a talented English embroiderer. She was part of the Arts and Crafts movement, which focused on beautiful handmade items. Jane was also a famous model for artists, especially for her husband William Morris and the painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Many people thought she had the perfect look for the Pre-Raphaelite art style. Her sister, Elizabeth Burden, was also a skilled embroiderer and teacher.
Contents
Jane Morris's Life Story
Her Early Years in Oxford
Jane Burden was born in Oxford, England, on October 19, 1839. Her father, Robert Burden, worked with horses, and her mother, Ann Maizey, was a domestic helper. They lived in a simple home in Oxford. Jane's family was not wealthy, and her mother could not read or write. Not much is known about Jane's childhood, but it was certainly a humble one.
Becoming an Artist's Model
In October 1857, when Jane was 18, she and her sister Elizabeth (Bessie) went to see a play in Oxford. Two artists, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones, noticed Jane. They were in Oxford painting murals about the legends of King Arthur for the Oxford Union.
They were amazed by her beauty and asked her to pose for them. Jane mostly modeled for Rossetti, often as Queen Guinevere. Later, she also modeled for William Morris, who was painting a picture called La Belle Iseult. During this time, William Morris fell in love with Jane. They became engaged, even though Jane later said she wasn't in love with him at first.
Marriage and Family Life
Jane married William Morris on April 26, 1859, in Oxford. After they married, they moved to a unique, medieval-style house called Red House in Kent. There, they had two daughters. Their first daughter, Jane Alice, known as Jenny, was born on January 17, 1861. Their second daughter, Mary, known as May, was born on March 25, 1862. May later became famous for editing her father's writings.
The family later moved to London and then bought Kelmscott House in Hammersmith. Jane, her daughters, and her sister Bessie all worked on embroidery for William Morris's design company, Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co.. However, William Morris usually received all the credit for the designs to help the business succeed. Jane and Bessie created beautiful embroidered panels in the 1880s, which are now at Castle Howard. These panels show famous women from the stories of Geoffrey Chaucer and Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
Her Artistic Inspirations
In 1871, William Morris and Dante Gabriel Rossetti rented Kelmscott Manor together. William Morris traveled to Iceland, leaving Jane and Rossetti to set up the house and spend the summer there. Jane Morris became a very close friend and important inspiration for Rossetti. She inspired him to write poems and create some of his most famous paintings. They remained in touch until Rossetti passed away in 1882.
A few months before her own death, Jane Morris bought Kelmscott Manor to make sure her daughters would have it in the future. However, she never returned to the house after buying it. Jane Morris passed away on January 26, 1914, in Bath. She is buried in the churchyard of St. George's Church in Kelmscott.
Gallery
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Jane sketched by William Morris at age 18, during their engagement
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Jane and Jenny Morris around 1864
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Jane and May Morris, around 1865
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Dante Gabriel Rossetti: Pia de' Tolomei, around 1868
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Morris as Mariana from Measure for Measure, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1870)
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Morris painted by Dante Gabriel Rossetti as Proserpine (1874)
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Dante Gabriel Rossetti – The Day Dream, 1880
Artworks and Her Embroidery
Jane Morris was a very skilled embroiderer. Here are some examples of her work:
- A beautiful embroidered silk Bag, made around 1878, now at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
- The Legend of Good Women embroidered panels, made in the 1880s by Jane and Elizabeth Burden, found at Castle Howard.
- Honeysuckle embroidery, designed in 1876 and made in the 1880s, made of silk and linen, at the William Morris Gallery in London.
Many artists painted Jane Morris, especially Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Some of his famous paintings of her include:
- Proserpine or Proserpina, 1874.
- Astarte Syriaca, 1875–1879.
- The Day Dream, 1880.
- Mariana, 1870.
- La Pia de' Tolomei, 1866–1870.
- Water Willow, 1871.
William Morris also painted her, including:
Edward Burne-Jones featured her in many of his stained-glass windows.
Evelyn De Morgan also painted her, such as:
- The Love Potion 1903
- The Hourglass 1905
