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Maud

Furnishing Fabric
1913 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The Omega Workshops were founded in 1913 by the designer and painter Roger Fry (1866-1934). He brought together a group of artists to design furniture, pottery, glass, textiles and entire schemes of interior decoration. Their radically style, typified by this textile, was far ahead of its time and was influenced by developments in contemporary painting.

In keeping with the painting tradition, Fry believed that designs should not be too mechanical and should show evidence of the artist's hand. The workshops produced six printed linens which were used by the most daring as dress fabrics. The printers are said to have used a secret process to 'preserve the freedom and spontaneity of the original drawing'. 'Maud' was available in four colourways. Vanessa Bell, a painter and designer, was co-ordinator of the Omega Workshops and after they closed in 1919 she continued to design interiors schemes and textiles.

The V&A acquired several Omega textiles in 1919 as it was felt 'they might become great curiosities in the future'.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleMaud (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Printed linen
Brief description
'Maud', printed linen, designed in England by Vanessa Bell for Omega Workshops, made by Besselièvre in Maromme, France, 1913
Physical description
Orange, blue-grey and green blocks of colour and a black line form a abstract pattern on a cream coloured plain weave linen ground.
Dimensions
  • Maximum height: 978mm
  • Maximum width: 820mm
Marks and inscriptions
On the front: 4
Credit line
Given by Mrs Margaret H. Armitage (née Bulley)
Summary
The Omega Workshops were founded in 1913 by the designer and painter Roger Fry (1866-1934). He brought together a group of artists to design furniture, pottery, glass, textiles and entire schemes of interior decoration. Their radically style, typified by this textile, was far ahead of its time and was influenced by developments in contemporary painting.

In keeping with the painting tradition, Fry believed that designs should not be too mechanical and should show evidence of the artist's hand. The workshops produced six printed linens which were used by the most daring as dress fabrics. The printers are said to have used a secret process to 'preserve the freedom and spontaneity of the original drawing'. 'Maud' was available in four colourways. Vanessa Bell, a painter and designer, was co-ordinator of the Omega Workshops and after they closed in 1919 she continued to design interiors schemes and textiles.

The V&A acquired several Omega textiles in 1919 as it was felt 'they might become great curiosities in the future'.
Associated object
T.388-1913 (Design)
Bibliographic references
  • The European Art of Textiles, Osaka:NHK Kinki Media Plan & Victoria and Albert Museum, 1995, cat. 146.
  • Beyond Bloomsbury. Designs of the Omega Workshops 1913-19, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 2009, p. 116, cat. 34B.
Collection
Accession number
MISC.2:39-1934

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
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