Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C , Case MB2D, Shelf DR105, Box WM8B

Indian

Wallpaper
ca. 1871 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Specimen of 'Indian' wallpaper, a formalised foliate design, design in dark-blue on a pale ground; Colour woodblock print in distemper, on paper; Inscribed on the back in ink with title, number and price.
Part of a pattern book.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleIndian (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
colour block print on paper
Brief description
Specimen of 'Indian' wallpaper, a formalised foliate design, design in dark-blue on a pale ground; Colour woodblock print in distemper, on paper; Possibly designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott; Published by Morris & Co.; Printed by Jeffrey & Co.; Part of a pattern book of Morris & Co. patterns (E.633-858-1915); England; ca. 1871.
Physical description
Specimen of 'Indian' wallpaper, a formalised foliate design, design in dark-blue on a pale ground; Colour woodblock print in distemper, on paper; Inscribed on the back in ink with title, number and price.
Part of a pattern book.
Dimensions
  • Size of volume height: 84.7cm
  • Size of volume width: 66.7cm
Dimensions from: Oman, Charles C., and Hamilton, Jean. Wallpapers: a history and illustrated catalogue of the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Sotheby Publications, in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982.
Style
Marks and inscriptions
(Inscribed on the back in ink with title, number and price.)
Credit line
Given by Mr Allan F. Vigers
Object history
Given by Mr Allan F. Vigers.

The source of this pattern was described in 1884 as an 'early 18th-century' wallpaper. This was in turn based on an Indian chintz. Several wallpapers adapted from earlier examples were designed and printed for Morris & Co.

Although this wallpaper was produced by the company of William Morris, it was not designed by Morris himself. A letter from Morris's business manager suggests that this paper was the work of the architect George Gilbert Scott (1839-1897).
Production
Part of a pattern book of Morris & Co. patterns (E.633-858-1915).
Subject depicted
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Oman, Charles C., and Hamilton, Jean. Wallpapers: a history and illustrated catalogue of the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Sotheby Publications, in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982.
  • Greysmith, Brenda. Wallpaper. London, 1976.
  • Clark, Fiona. William Morris Wallpapers and Chintzes. New York. 1973.
  • Parry, Linda, ed. William Morris London : Philip Wilson in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996. Published to coincide with an exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, 9 May-1 Sept. 1996.
  • Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design, Accessions 1915, London: Printed under the Authority of His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1916.
Collection
Accession number
E.758-1915

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Record createdJune 15, 2009
Record URL
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