Kelmscott and the Medieval Dream: The Medieval Influence on William Morris’s Press

The William Andrews Clark Memorial Library is pleased to present the exhibition Kelmscott and the Medieval Dream: The Medieval Influence on William Morris’s Press, curated by Bailey Hart, Instruction and Engagement Fellow. Join us for the opening reception of this exhibition, which examines how William Morris and his collaborators reimagined the Middle Ages through the hand-printed book. It features a stunning collection of editions produced by the Kelmscott Press, personal sketches by William Morris, medieval manuscripts, and early printed books. By placing the work of the Kelmscott Press alongside the medieval objects that inspired them, Kelmscott and the Medieval Dream considers how the medieval past was reimagined, reconstructed, and romanticized at the close of the nineteenth century. The exhibition will be on view through September 18, 2026 and will be open by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please contact clarktours@humnet.ucla.edu. This event is free to attend and will be held in-person at the Clark Library. Seating is limited at the Clark Library; walk-in registrants are welcome as space permits. Loading… Image caption: The works of Geoffrey Chaucer : now newly imprinted. (Hammersmith [England]: William Morris at the Kelmscott Press) 1896