To mark World Art Nouveau Day, celebrated annually on 10 June, UIC Barcelona hosted the lecture William Morris and the Arts & Crafts Movement, delivered by Dr Judith Urbano, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and expert in art history.

During the session, Dr Urbano explored the multifaceted legacy of William Morris (1834–1896), the renowned British designer, craftsman, publisher, poet and essayist. Morris was the driving force behind the Arts and Crafts movement, which championed the beauty of everyday objects, the value of handcrafted work and a return to nature.

“We’re celebrating one of the greatest influences on Art Nouveau: William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement. It arose in opposition to the Industrial Revolution, mechanical mass production and Victorian design, which was often seen as overly ornate and lacking in functionality,” explained Dr Urbano as she outlined the roots of the movement.

The lecture offered attendees an insightful overview of the ideological and aesthetic foundations of the Arts and Crafts movement and its impact on European Art Nouveau. Dr Urbano highlighted Morris’s pioneering role in reviving the applied arts and traditional craftsmanship, particularly in the field of artisan work. “The movement was shaped in two key houses that were central both to Morris’s life and to art history: the Red House and Kelmscott Manor,” she noted, analysing the most significant features of each.

Since 2013, World Art Nouveau Day has honoured the legacy of two leading Art Nouveau architects, the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and the Hungarian architect Ödön Lechner, who both passed away on 10 June. Each year, UIC Barcelona joins forces with Cases Singulars to commemorate this date with a range of activities, including visits and lectures.

Watch the lecture again online.