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Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C , Case 3H, Shelf 19

Jasmine

Wallpaper
1872 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Specimen of 'Jasmine' wallpaper, an all-over pattern of hawthorn leaves, blossoms and branches on a disguised vertical meander. A scrolling tracery of jasmine providing the foreground; Block-printed in distemper colours, on paper.
Part of a wallpaper pattern book containing 132 specimens (E.2734-2866-1980), mounted on a display stand, with a cloth cover.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleJasmine (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
block-printed in distemper colours, on paper
Brief description
Specimen of 'Jasmine' wallpaper, an all-over pattern of hawthorn leaves, blossoms and branches on a disguised vertical meander. A scrolling tracery of jasmine providing the foreground; Block-printed in distemper colours, on paper; Designed by William Morris; Published by Morris & Co.; Part of a wallpaper pattern book containing 132 specimens (E.2734-2866-1980), mounted on a display stand, with a cloth cover; England; First issued 1872.
Physical description
Specimen of 'Jasmine' wallpaper, an all-over pattern of hawthorn leaves, blossoms and branches on a disguised vertical meander. A scrolling tracery of jasmine providing the foreground; Block-printed in distemper colours, on paper.
Part of a wallpaper pattern book containing 132 specimens (E.2734-2866-1980), mounted on a display stand, with a cloth cover.
Style
Marks and inscriptions
'THESE PAPERS ARE PRINTED BY HAND / Hand or Block-printed Papers and Machine-printed Papers. / MORRIS AND COMPANY are often asked "What is the advantage of hand-printed papers over those printed by machine?" / HAND-PRINTED PAPERS are produced very slowly, each block used being dipped into pigment and then firmly pressed on to the paper, giving a great body of colour. This process takes place with each separate colour, which is slowly dried before another is applied. The consequence is that in the finished paper there is a considerable mass of solid colour. / MACHINE-PRINTED PAPERS are produced at a great speed, all the colours being printed at one time and rapidly dried in a heated gallery. In consequence of the speed at which they are printed, there is merely a film of colour deposited on the surface of the paper. / FOR PERMANENT USE we strongly recommend the hand-printed paper. / The machine-printed papers are placed at the end of one of the books or in a msall book by themselves. / Show Rooms: / 449, Oxford Street, London, W.' (Printed on cover sheet of stand-book.)
Credit line
Given by Shand Kydd Ltd
Object history
Parry notes that: 'The many deletions and substitutions in the printing record indicate initial difficulties with the pattern and it appears that the number of blocks used for its production was reduced from twenty to eleven. Attempts made in 1874 to print it in wash colours seem to have been unsuccessful.'
Production
Part of a pattern book of wallpapers containing 132 specimens (E.2734-2866-1980) from 1880-1917.
Subjects 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.
  • Saunders, Gill. Wallpaper in Interior Decoration. V&A Publications. London. 2002. pp. 118. pl 103.
  • 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.
  • 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.
Collection
Accession number
E.2753-1980

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Record createdJune 22, 2009
Record URL
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