William Morris (1834 -1896) was an English born Renaissance man, famed for his works of art, poetry and literature. From an early age Morris possessed a romantic attachment to all things natural: wildlife, forest walks and exploration. Morris combined this with an interest in Victorian typography and medieval history as inspiration for his art, poetry and writing. Morris' writing style inspired the genre of world building fantasy, with authors such as C.S Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien naming his works as their influences.