William De Morgan

Born in London in 1839, William De Morgan built his reputation first as an artist and designer. He became especially admired for his richly colored tiles and pottery, and his work is closely linked with the Arts and Crafts movement.

After retiring from his ceramics career, he turned seriously to fiction and published his first novel when he was in his sixties. That unusual second act helped make him stand out: he was not only a major decorative artist, but also a successful late-blooming novelist.

De Morgan died in 1917. Today he is remembered for both sides of his creative life — the inventive maker of beautiful decorative work and the sharp, engaging storyteller who came to literature after a long career in art.