The architect of Membland Hall in Devon commissioned this sumptuous design for bathroom tiles from William Morris (1834-1896). Morris had the tiles painted in the studios of William de Morgan (1839-1917). They represent a rare collaboration between these two creative geniuses.
Edward Charles Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke, was the builder of Membland Hall. He was a merchant banker. The hall was later demolished.
Physical description
Panel depicting scolling arcanthus leaves on a black background
Place of Origin
England, Great Britain (made)
Date
1876 (made)
Artist/maker
William Morris, born 1834 - died 1896 (designer)
De Morgan, William Frend, born 1839 - died 1917 (maker)
Architectural Pottery Co. (maker)
Materials and Techniques
Slip-covered and hand-painted in various colours and glazed, on earthenware blanks
Dimensions
Height: 1600 mm, Width: 915 mm
Object history note
This panel is one of six surviviing from Membland Hall which was demolished in 1928. Morris & Co. were commissioned to decorate Membland Hall in Devon, by George Devey, architect to the banker E.C. Baring, Baron Revelstoke. The squared up pattern and one other panel is at the William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow, with a note indicating that it was intended for the bathroom.
Historical significance: It is the only floral pattern for a tile panel on this scale by Morris. Presumably its ambitious size (of sixty-six individual tiles) and the need to produce a matching set suggested that he should turn to the better equipped De Morgan fo its production. The design remained on Morris & Co.'s stocklists until 1912-13 and a number of panels, other than the Membland six, are known to have been made. At least one uses De Morgan's own Fulham Pottery tiles. Far less particular than Morris, De Morgan supplemented his own production by using the Hamworthy tileworks (and other commercial manufacturers in Staffordshire and Shropshire) and the Carter & Co. pottery, also at Poole, to supply blanks for his own lustre- and colour-glaze wares.
Descriptive line
Tile panel, made up of 66 individual tiles, hand painted with a pattern of flowers and foliage. English, 1876.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Parry, Linda (ed.). William Morris. London : Philip Wilson / Victoria and Abert Museum, 1996, p193.
Hildyard, Robin. European Ceramics. London : V&A Publications, 1999. 144 p., ill. ISBN 185177260X
Design Cities: 1851-2008. London: Design Museum, 2008, P.16-17 ill., p.138.
Exhibition History
The Cult of Beauty: The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900 (Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco 18/02/2012-17/07/2012)
The Cult of Beauty: The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900 (Musée d'Orsay 13/09/2011-15/01/2012)
The Cult of Beauty: The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900 (Victoria and Albert Museum 02/04/2011-17/07/2011)
Design Cities: 1851-2008 (Design Museum 05/09/2008-04/01/2009)
Design Cities: 1851-2008 (Istanbul Modern 23/04/2008-10/08/2008)
William Morris (Victoria and Albert Museum 01/01/1996-31/12/1996)
Production Note
The blank tiles were bought in by De Morgan, from the Architectural Pottery, Poole, Dorset, and decorated at his Fulham factory.
Materials
Earthenware
Techniques
Painting (image-making); Glazing (coating)
Subjects depicted
Flowers (plants); Leaves (plant materials)
Categories
Ceramics; Art Pottery
Collection code
CER
