lectures

The Beauty of the Earth: the Art of May and William Morris with Suzanne Fagence-Cooper

Cambridge University

November 26

David Parr House

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Throughout their lives, William and May sought to connect domestic spaces with the natural world, crafting beautiful patterns from honeysuckle, apple blossom and roses. Their creativity was deeply entwined with an awareness of the fragility of nature. In his lecture Art and the Beauty of the Earth, William Morris urged his audience to take responsibility for caring for the environment, believing that artists should lead the way as advocates and activists for Nature. This talk accompanies a new exhibition curated by Suzanne for 2025–26 in Winchester, offering a fresh perspective on the Morrises’ enduring legacy and their call to cherish the natural world around us. There will be time for questions and discussion, with plenty of ideas to take away for your own creative and environmental practice. About the Speaker Dr. Suzanne Fagence Cooper is a writer, broadcaster and curator with expertise in 19th and 20th century British art and culture. She spent 12 years at the V&A Museum, researching the Victorian collections, and is in demand as a historical consultant for TV and film. She is an invited lecturer for the Arts Society and Cunard voyages. Suzanne was Research Curator for Ruskin, Turner & the Storm Cloud (York Art Gallery, 2019). She has written The Model Wife: Effie Gray, Ruskin & Millais and To See Clearly: Why Ruskin Matters. Her latest book is At Home with Jane and William Morris.