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Ravenna

Wallpaper Frieze
1896 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
In the last 20 years of the 19th century it became fashionable in interior decoration to divide the wall into three sections: the dado which ran around the room from the skirting up to a height of 3 or 4 feet, then the filling which was an all-over repeating pattern and above this, a frieze on the upper part of the wall up to the ceiling or cornice (a moulding between wall and ceiling). Like this example, the frieze often had a bold pattern.

People
William Shand Kydd (1864-1936) had worked for the wallpaper manufacturer Hayward & Son before setting up his own wallpaper business in London in 1891. In the early years he designed most of the papers himself. They were highly praised at the time for their originality, confident design, and beautiful colouring. The company became very successful and supplied papers to the most fashionable London furnishing shops.

Materials & Making
This frieze was produced by printing the outlines of the pattern from a carved wood block, and then filling in the colour using stencils. Stencils had been used to apply colour to wallpapers in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. In the 1880s it was reintroduced to commercial wallpaper production by Hayward & Sons. Shand Kydd learned the technique when he worked for the company and went on to use it for many of the wallpapers and friezes produced by his own firm.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleRavenna (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Outlines block printed and filled in with stencil, on paper
Brief description
Portion of wallpaper frieze with 'Ravenna' design, scrolling foliage with flowers, on a pale ground; Outlines block printed and filled in with stencil, on paper; Design by William Shand Kydd; Produced by Shand Kydd Ltd; London, England; 1896.
Physical description
Portion of wallpaper frieze with 'Ravenna' design, scrolling foliage with flowers, on a pale ground; Outlines block printed and filled in with stencil, on paper.
Dimensions
  • Height: 76cm
  • Width: 115.2cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 10/10/2000 by PaperCons
Marks and inscriptions
Lettered in the selvedge: 'SHAND KYDD DES.' and 'RAVENNA'
Gallery label
British Galleries: William Shand Kydd set up his own wallpaper business in London in 1891. This became one of the most successful commercial wallpaper firms supplying Arts and Crafts wallpapers to shops such as Liberty's and Maples. Their friezes, for use on the upper part of the wall, were very popular. They were block-printed with delicate stencilled shading.(27/03/2003)
Credit line
Given by Shand Kydd Ltd
Object history
Given by by Shand Kydd Ltd.
Designed by William Shand Kydd (born in Edinburgh, 1864, died in London, 1936) and printed by his firm in London.
This design was first produced in 1896.
Production
This design was first produced in 1896.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Object Type
In the last 20 years of the 19th century it became fashionable in interior decoration to divide the wall into three sections: the dado which ran around the room from the skirting up to a height of 3 or 4 feet, then the filling which was an all-over repeating pattern and above this, a frieze on the upper part of the wall up to the ceiling or cornice (a moulding between wall and ceiling). Like this example, the frieze often had a bold pattern.

People
William Shand Kydd (1864-1936) had worked for the wallpaper manufacturer Hayward & Son before setting up his own wallpaper business in London in 1891. In the early years he designed most of the papers himself. They were highly praised at the time for their originality, confident design, and beautiful colouring. The company became very successful and supplied papers to the most fashionable London furnishing shops.

Materials & Making
This frieze was produced by printing the outlines of the pattern from a carved wood block, and then filling in the colour using stencils. Stencils had been used to apply colour to wallpapers in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. In the 1880s it was reintroduced to commercial wallpaper production by Hayward & Sons. Shand Kydd learned the technique when he worked for the company and went on to use it for many of the wallpapers and friezes produced by his own firm.
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.
  • Sugden, A. V., and Edmondson, J. L. A History of English Wallpaper. 1509-1914. London, 1926.
Collection
Accession number
E.1524-1954

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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