Object Type
In Britain, paper printed with patterns has been used for decorating walls since the 16th century. By the late 19th century wallpapers were widely used by all classes, in homes and also in public buildings. William Morris designed a number of wallpapers all with repeating patterns based on natural forms.
Materials & Making
This wallpaper was printed for Morris's company by the London firm Jeffrey & Co., who specialised in high quality 'Art' wallpapers. It required thirty wood blocks to print the full repeat, and used fifteen subtly different colours (more than any previous design by Morris). 'Acanthus' was issued in two colour combinations - one in shades of green and the other in predominantly reddish-brown tones.
Ownership & Use
'Acanthus' is a large-scale repeat which would appear to be most appropriate for large rooms. However Morris believed that a large pattern actually worked well in a small room. He explained that if it was well designed, a large pattern was more restful to look at than a small one. By the 1880s Morris wallpapers had become fashionable. When the wealthy Mander family furnished their newly built house, Wightwick Manor near Wolverhampton, they used Morris wallpapers in 13 of the rooms. 'Acanthus' was hung in one of the bedrooms.
Physical description
Specimen of 'Acanthus' wallpaper, foliate pattern of intertwined acanthus leaves in shades of green; Block-printed in distemper colours, on paper; Inscribed on the back in ink with title, number and price.
Part of 'Volume 1', a pattern book containing 25 Morris & Co. patterns from 1862-81 (E.441-529-1919)
Place of Origin
London, England (printed)
Date
1875 (published)
Artist/maker
William Morris, born 1834 - died 1896 (designer)
Jeffrey (printer)
Morris & Co. (publisher)
Materials and Techniques
block-printed in distemper colours, on paper
Dimensions
Height: 68 cm unmounted, Width: 52.3 cm unmounted
Object history note
The 'Acanthus' design requires thirty separate woodblocks to complete the pattern.
Parry (see references) notes that: 'Acanthus was the first of a group of large-scale, heavily patterned and deep coloured papers: the others were Pimpernel (1876), Wreath (1876), Rose (1877) and Chrysanthemum (1877). The large size of this design requires thirty blocks to complete the pattern, making it an expensive paper costing 16s. a roll.'
Descriptive line
Specimen of 'Acanthus' wallpaper, foliate pattern of intertwined acanthus leaves in shades of green and brown; Block-printed in distemper colours, on paper; William Morris; Part of 'Volume 1', a pattern book containing 25 Morris & Co. patterns from 1862-81 (E.441-529-1919); England; 1875.
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 relevant text of the entry is as follows:
'1065
Two pattern books, containing patterns (25 and 27, on 168 sheets, including different colourways): each inscribed on the back in ink with title, number and price
1862-96
68.5 x 53.3 cm (size of each volume)
Given by Morris & Co.
E.441-608-1919
These are the original patterns as kept together by William Morris. The numbers after the names of the patterns are taken from Morris & Co.’s log books.
Volume 1 (1862-81)
...
'Acanthus', 1875 (E.494-496). AV, pl 8 (colour); SE, pl 112 (colour); FC, no 18. The pencil and watercolour design for this paper is Circ.297-1955 neg R.01. Other portions are Circ.24-1954; Circ.281-1959 CT 8743 (see col pl, p 389; Circ.24-1954 neg M. 1791.'
NB: Within this book there is a handwritten comment that it would be ‘unlikely’that these patterns would have been kept together specifically by William Morris.
'AV' refers to; Vallance, Aymer. The Art of William Morris. A Record. 1897.
'SE' refers to; Sugden, A. V., and Edmondson, J. L. A History of English Wallpaper. 1509-1914. London, 1926.
'FC' refers to; 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, pp.212, 213, ill.
The full text of the entry is as follows:
'L.11 Acanthus wallpaper
a Original design
William Morris, 1874
Pencil, watercolour and bodycolour, 81.5 x 65.2 cm
Inscribed
V&A (Circ.297-1955)
b Wallpaper sample, Acanthus, 79
Designed by William Morris, registered 22 July 1875
Printed by Jeffery & Co. for Morris & Co.
Block-printed in distemper colours, 68.6 x 50.0 cm
V&A (E.494-1919) Given by Morris & Co.
The two layers in this design are given equal weight. Veining and the use of fifteen subtly different colours (more than in any previous design) emphasise the vigour of the acanthus scrolls. A very similar conjunction of tiny background motif and scrolling leaves also appear in Morris’s calligraphic and illuminated manuscripts.
The design in largely worked in watercolour and the printer would have had to interpret this in distemper – hence the colour notes on the front – including ‘get Mr. Morris to paint in front leaves.’ Notes on the back include ‘The property of Mr. Morris 15/12/74.’
Another version of the design is in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Acanthus was the first of a group of large-scale, heavily patterned and deep coloured paper: the others were Pimpernel (1876), Wreath (1876), Rose (1877) and Chrysanthemum (1877). The large size of this design requires thirty blocks to complete the pattern, making it an expensive paper costing 16s. a roll.'
Labels and date
British Galleries:
This is an example of the finished wallpaper taken from the design on the left. It is printed with distemper colour and took thirty separate wood blocks to print the pattern. Consequently, it was expensive to buy, at 16s (80p) a roll. This large scale, dense, darkly coloured design is characteristic of patterns drawn by Morris in the mid-1870s. [27/03/2003]
Production Note
Part of 'Volume 1', a pattern book containing 25 Morris & Co. patterns from 1862-81 (E.441-529-1919).
Materials
Paper; Distemper
Techniques
Block printing; Colour woodblock print
Subjects depicted
Foliation (pattern); Acanthus; Leaves (plant materials)
Categories
Prints; Wall coverings
Collection code
PDP
