But is it art?

[nineveh_uk]

My parents are staying with me in order to do various southern things, including the Olympics and a family wedding. Taking a break from wall to wall sport on television we took ourselves on Saturday to Kelmscott Manor, the country home of William Morris. It’s a beautiful house, and now that it has electricity and indoor plumbing, has definitely joined my list of houses I’d be happy to live in. It is as full of beautiful Arts and Crafts movement objects and art as one might expect, but one of my favourite things was actually the beginning of a letter quoted in the small explanatory exhibition about the history of the house, in which Morris talks about his house-hunting. It opens, “I have been looking about for a house for the wife and kids”. It’s just so magnificently prosaic compared to my mental image of the Pre-Raphaelites*, but I suppose though not a beautiful sentence it is at least useful.

*And I speak as someone who likes Pre-Raphaelite art.

Comments

[mobile-alh.livejournal.com]

Now that's a house I would love to visit...adding it to the plan for the next trip across the Atlantic...

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

It was a very pleasant afternoon out, definitely recommended.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

That kitchen looks as if it would attract spiders by the gazillion. But it is a very beautiful house and I would happily come to visit you to drink tea on the lawn and admire the herbaceous borders while the servants deal with the cobwebs.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I would definitely want someone else doing the cooking, cleaning, and chamber pot emptying (or an indoor lavatory). But the herbaceous borders were delightful, and there was lots of room for guest in the pleasantly spider-free attics.