William Morris (1834-1896) was the leading figure of the Arts and Crafts movement in the second half of the nineteenth century. Inspired by John Ruskin's social criticism and writings on medieval art, Morris and his fellow artists disavowed the low-quality goods produced by the factories of the Industrial Revolution and the production methods that alienated workers from the creative process. They instead set out to return to the traditional methods of craftsmanship in which the designer was the craftsman.
The design of 'Peacock and Dragon' in 1878 coincided with Morris's study of birds for a series of designs featuring the winged creatures. The most complex of this series, 'Peacock and Dragon' consists of a much larger pattern (a repeat of 43 x 35 in.) and a denser background than its counterparts ('Bird', as seen in lot 287; 'Dove and Rose'; and 'Bird and Vine'). The design was likely inspired by the Middle East and Asia, and the dragons were perhaps based on phoenixes frequently seen in Chinese textiles. This striking and mythic design was noted to have been 'the closest he ever came to his early ideal of English medieval hangings" (L. Parry, William Morris Textiles, New York, 1994, p. 64). For further information, see L. Parry, William Morris Textiles, New York, 1994, p. 152, pl. 30.