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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Not currently on display at the V&A
On short term loan out for exhibition

Fabric

1872 (designed), 1874 (woven)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This top quality woven silk furnishing was designed by Owen Jones in 1872 and manufactured by the Spitalfields firm of Warner, Sillett & Ramm. Owen Jones sold a number of designs to the silk manufacturer Benjamin Warner and the alliance between the manufacture and designer proved very successful. The first weaving of this design (noted in the company's accounts) was on 9 July 1874. The quality and sumptuous colour combinations of the silk emulates 16th and 17th century Florentine silks. In the 19th century this epitomised the best of what was called 'Renaissance' work.

Owen Jones believed that good design could only come from a detailed study of ancient patterns and his published books on the Alhambra in Spain (1842) and the 'Grammar of Ornament' (1856) chronicles designs taken from the architecture and decoration of ancient civilisations and many different countries. This pattern has historical roots in both ancient Greek architecture and Egyptian design. The curving leaves are reminiscent of decoration on Greek columns with swaying palmettes in the Egyptian tradition.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Jacquard-woven silk
Brief description
Stanhope; 'STANHOPE' FURNISHING FABRIC; English; 1872.
Physical description
Silk tissue with design of intertwining branches of acanthus in gold, purple, and red on a black satin ground.
Dimensions
  • Height: 46cm (Maximum)
  • Selvedge to selvedge width: 55cm (Maximum)
  • Frame height: 56cm (Maximum)
  • Frame width: 65.5cm (Maximum)
  • Frame depth: 5.5cm (Maximum)
  • Width: 66cm
  • Depth: 5.5cm
  • Height: 56cm
Measured by conservation
Gallery label
British Galleries: Owen Jones believed that good design came from the study of patterns found in the architecture and decoration of ancient civilisations. The curving leaves are reminiscent of motifs on Greek columns and the palmettes of Egyptian designs.(27/03/2003)
Credit line
Given by Sir Frank Warner of Warner & Co.
Object history
Designed by Owen Jones (born in London, 1809, died there in 1874); woven by Warner, Sillet & Ramm in Spitalfields, London. Design inspired by Greek ornament.
Subject depicted
Summary
This top quality woven silk furnishing was designed by Owen Jones in 1872 and manufactured by the Spitalfields firm of Warner, Sillett & Ramm. Owen Jones sold a number of designs to the silk manufacturer Benjamin Warner and the alliance between the manufacture and designer proved very successful. The first weaving of this design (noted in the company's accounts) was on 9 July 1874. The quality and sumptuous colour combinations of the silk emulates 16th and 17th century Florentine silks. In the 19th century this epitomised the best of what was called 'Renaissance' work.

Owen Jones believed that good design could only come from a detailed study of ancient patterns and his published books on the Alhambra in Spain (1842) and the 'Grammar of Ornament' (1856) chronicles designs taken from the architecture and decoration of ancient civilisations and many different countries. This pattern has historical roots in both ancient Greek architecture and Egyptian design. The curving leaves are reminiscent of decoration on Greek columns with swaying palmettes in the Egyptian tradition.
Bibliographic reference
King, D., ed. British Textile Design in the Victoria & Albert Museum. Tokyo: 1980. Vol. III, pl. 60.
Collection
Accession number
T.94A-1930

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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