Many early wallpapers were designed to imitate textiles, including velvets, brocades and lacework. This paper has a fleur-de-lis watermark that suggests a possible date of around 1680. The design is very similar to the border of a later 17th-century cotton printed with a lace-pattern, in the V&A (inv. no. 1605-1872). It also has strong similarities with the embroidery style known as 'black-work', in which patterns of flowers and fruit were stitched in black and silver thread on a white ground. One of only a handful of pre-1700 papers to survive, this design has been found in several different locations, including two houses in Surrey - in Kingston upon Thames (this piece) and Epsom - one in Newcastle upon Tyne, and one in a wooden box.
Physical description
Sheet of wallpaper with formalised floral design on lattice-patterned ground, imitating lacework; Woodblock print, on paper.
Place of Origin
England, Great Britain (made)
14 Market Place (Kingston upon Thames), England (paper hung)
Date
late 17th century (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Woodblock print, on paper
Dimensions
Height: 54 cm portion, Width: 48 cm portion
Object history note
Given by Boots the Chemist, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey.
Provenance: Boots the Chemist, 14, Market Place, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey.
The paper bears a fleur-de-lis watermark of circa 1680, and the design is closely related to that of the border of a printed cotton, bearing a characteristic lace pattern of the second half of the 17th century (Department of Textiles, no 1605-1872). The building used by Boots is dated circa 1599. The paper was on a wooden partition wall, uncovered by subsequent decoration, and presents an unusual example of the preservation of original décor.
Descriptive line
Sheet of wallpaper with formalised floral design on lattice-patterned ground, imitating lacework; Woodblock print, on paper; Provenance: Boots the Chemist, Market Place, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey; English; Late 17th century.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
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.
The full text of the entry is as follows:
'19
Formalized floral design
Circa 1680 (?)
Print from wood block
54 x 48 cm (portion)
PROVENANCE Boots the Chemist, 14, Market Place, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey
Given by Boots the Chemist, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey
E.1003-1976 neg GF.5635
The paper bears a fleur-de-lis watermark of circa 1680, and the design is closely related to that of the border of a printed cotton, bearing a characteristic lace pattern of the second half of the 17th century (Department of Textiles, no 1605-1872). The building used by Boots is dated circa 1599. The paper was on a wooden partition wall, uncovered by subsequent decoration, and presents an unusual example of the preservation of original décor. A lining paper with the same pattern, slightly cruder in execution and with the background omitted (E.313A[sic]-1940 neg B.63), is lettered Roger Hudson Trunk Maker, Coney Street, York. It was found in a small wooden box and given to the museum by the Reverend J. Harvey Bloom. It measures
36.8 x 34.3 cm (E.373-1940; E.373A-1940 neg B.63). See Jean Hamilton, 'Early English Wallpapers', Connoisseur, July 1977, 201, pl 1. Another example of the same pattern, with additional stencilled colouring, was found at the Shrubbery, Epsom, Surrey.'
Saunders, Gill. Wallpaper in Interior Decoration. V&A Publications. London. 2002. pp. 46-47.
Production Note
The building used by Boots is dated circa 1599. The paper was on a wooden partition wall, uncovered by subsequent decoration, and presents an unusual example of the preservation of original décor.
Materials
Paper
Techniques
Woodblock print
Subjects depicted
Lace
Categories
Prints; Wall coverings
Collection code
PDP
