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Wallpaper frieze
Jeffrey - Enlarge image
Wallpaper frieze
- Place of origin:
London, England (probably, made)
- Date:
ca. 1851 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Jeffrey (probably, manufacturer)
- Materials and Techniques:
Colour chiaroscuro print from wood blocks with machine printed background
- Credit Line:
Given by Roger H. M. Warner
- Museum number:
E.33B-1971
- Gallery location:
Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C, case MB2B, shelf DR78, box DW18
Object Type
Paper printed or painted with patterns has been used for decorating walls in Britain since the 16th century. In the 1820s French wallpaper makers began to produce pictorial designs which were printed to give the illusion that the image had depth and substance. This 'trompe l'oeil' (deception of the eye) effect was taken up by British manufacturers and it was often used for their most ambitious designs which were shown at international trade exhibitions.
Subjecs Depicted
The Elgin Marbles were sections of the frieze and pediments of the Parthenon, a classical Greek temple in Athens. They were named after Lord Elgin who was responsible for removing them from the ruined building and bringing them to London. The marbles were purchased by the British Museum in 1816 and were regarded as national treasures. Many artists, sculptors and designers have been inspired by them.
Historical Associations
More than 50 wallpaper manufacturers exhibited their products at the Great Exhibition which was held in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park in London in 1851. The exhibition was an unprecedented opportunity for the manufacturers to display their best work to a large audience. This wallpaper is probably part of the reproduction of the Elgin Marbles, made by the London firm of Jeffrey, Allen & Co., and exhibited as an 8-metre long frieze.
