Home
Talks
William Morris' First Masterpiece | The Red House & the Birth of Modern Architecture
Uncover the story behind The Red House, a groundbreaking architectural masterpiece that changed the course of design history. This stunning Victorian-era home, designed by renowned architect Philip Webb for the famous artist William Morris, is more than just a building—it's the birthplace of the Arts and Crafts Movement.
Join Paul Greenhalgh - British art historian, writer, museologist and curator - as we explore the design innovations, the cultural significance, and the lasting impact of The Red House on modern architecture. From its artistic vision to its historical context, this video offers an in-depth look at one of the most important yet often overlooked landmarks in architectural history.
Time Period:
19th century
Themes:
Professor Paul Greenhalgh is a specialist on the art and design of the Modern period. He has written widely on Art Nouveau and curated several exhibitions including the major survey Art Nouveau 1890-1914, which toured internationally (2000-01). His books include Ephemeral Vistas (1988), Modernism in Design (1990), Art Nouveau 1890–1914 (2000), The Modern Ideal (2005), Fair World (2011), L’Art Nouveau: La Revolution Decorative (2013), Ceramic Art and Civilisation (2021) and Pablo Picasso: The Legacy of Youth (2022). He has held positions as Head of Research at the V&A Museum, London; President and Director at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC; Director of the Sainsbury Centre, Norwich; and Inaugural Director of the Zaha Hadid Foundation, London. He was born and raised in Bolton, and is a proud Lancastrian.
16:55
The Origins of Art Nouveau Architecture
An in-depth film that explores Horta's Architectural legacy and the beginnings of art nouveau with writer and curator Paul Greenhalgh. Seen as a major breakthrough of modern architecture in the 1890s. Tracing its origins to Victor Horta’s house for the scientist and professor Émile Tassel, this film visits and explores Horta’s four major townhouses—Hôtel Tassel, Hôtel Solvay, Hôtel van Eetvelde, and Maison & Atelier Horta (Horta Museum as it is today) —remarkable and pioneering works of Art Nouveau architecture.
10:30
Building Fleet Street: The Golden Age of Newspapers
The golden age of newspapers was also the heyday of Art Deco. Edwin Heathcote tours Fleet Street's iconic press headquarters.
12:50
Paula Rego: Giving Fear a Face
From the personal to the political, every picture tells her story.
16:55
An in-depth film that explores Horta's Architectural legacy and the beginnings of art nouveau with writer and curator Paul Greenhalgh. Seen as a major breakthrough of modern architecture in the 1890s. Tracing its origins to Victor Horta’s house for the scientist and professor Émile Tassel, this film visits and explores Horta’s four major townhouses—Hôtel Tassel, Hôtel Solvay, Hôtel van Eetvelde, and Maison & Atelier Horta (Horta Museum as it is today) —remarkable and pioneering works of Art Nouveau architecture.
10:30
The golden age of newspapers was also the heyday of Art Deco. Edwin Heathcote tours Fleet Street's iconic press headquarters.
12:50
From the personal to the political, every picture tells her story.
20:50
Death, sex, birth, childhood. Uncover how the bed has been represented throughout art history.
10:30
The golden age of newspapers was also the heyday of Art Deco. Edwin Heathcote tours Fleet Street's iconic press headquarters.
15:03
Dawn Adès tells the story of the historic meeting between Salvador Dalí and Sigmund Freud, and unpacks the mind-boggling painting the artist took with him.