We don’t have an image of this object online yet. V&A Images may have a photograph that we can’t show online, but it may be possible to supply one to you. Email us at vaimages@vam.ac.uk for guidance about fees and timescales, quoting the accession number: E.3613-1938
Find out about our images

Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 120, The Wolfson Galleries

Cut Paper Design

ca. 1835 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
This album contains 58 examples of cut paper work, a popular pastime from the late 17th century, requiring time, skill and patience in the use of small scissors, knives and even pins. The art was practised by the most modest of people up to the grandest in the country, including Queen Anne to Queen Victoria. Many amateurs created often quite elaborate albums in which to keep their work. The designs in this album are quite simply and roughly done, and probably are the work of a child or a beginner.

Ownership & Use
The album's 58 cut paper designs include subjects ranging from baskets of fruit and flowers, rabbits, dogs and birds, to more complicated scenes of deer hunting, a woman in a rocking chair and a man on a desert island with a dog and gun. Although the designs are crude, they have been carefully sewn together to form an album of sorts, possibly as a gift. This group demonstrates the amount of time, labour and application that could be lavished on such leisure pursuits.

Paper
These designs have been cut in white paper and stuck onto shiny black paper. The album dates from about 1835, by which date such paper would have been commercially available. Earlier artists had had to blacken paper with soot or ink.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
cut paper
Brief description
Anonymous. Decorative design in cut paper work, English, c.1835
Physical description
Design in cut paper mounted on black commercially made paper, mounted in an album with 57 others.
Dimensions
  • Album height: 12.3cm
  • Album, open width: 24cm
  • Maximum depth: 7.5cm
Credit line
Given by Mrs C. E. L. Bryant
Summary
Object Type
This album contains 58 examples of cut paper work, a popular pastime from the late 17th century, requiring time, skill and patience in the use of small scissors, knives and even pins. The art was practised by the most modest of people up to the grandest in the country, including Queen Anne to Queen Victoria. Many amateurs created often quite elaborate albums in which to keep their work. The designs in this album are quite simply and roughly done, and probably are the work of a child or a beginner.

Ownership & Use
The album's 58 cut paper designs include subjects ranging from baskets of fruit and flowers, rabbits, dogs and birds, to more complicated scenes of deer hunting, a woman in a rocking chair and a man on a desert island with a dog and gun. Although the designs are crude, they have been carefully sewn together to form an album of sorts, possibly as a gift. This group demonstrates the amount of time, labour and application that could be lavished on such leisure pursuits.

Paper
These designs have been cut in white paper and stuck onto shiny black paper. The album dates from about 1835, by which date such paper would have been commercially available. Earlier artists had had to blacken paper with soot or ink.
Bibliographic reference
Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1938, London: Board of Education, 1939.
Collection
Accession number
E.3613-1938

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSON