A great 19th-century British artist who was also a distinguished thinker and poet, William Morris (1834 - 1896) is especially highly acclaimed and retains enduring currency as a designer, even a century and a half after his designs were created. Morris created designs for all aspects of everyday living, from decorative art objects and furniture to architecture, earning himself the accolade, "Father of Modern Design." Today his designs are very familiar to many of us as they can be found in a wide range of products including curtains, bed linen, chairs and stationery. Morris also inspired the Arts and Crafts movement, which had a significant impact on the development of modern design throughout the world after it spread from Britain to Europe and North America.