Primrose
Tile
1862-1875 (made), ca. 1862 (designed)
1862-1875 (made), ca. 1862 (designed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Hand-painted tiles became a popular feature of artistic interiors from the 1860s onwards. Such tiles appear regularly in houses decorated in the Arts and Crafts style, and were used widely by exponents of vernacular architecture such as Richard Norman Shaw (1831-1912). The most common setting for such tiles was in and around the fireplace.
People
William Morris's love of medieval imagery is well known. In addition, however, he shared with many of his contemporaries a keen interest in vernacular British architecture and decorative art of the 17th and 18th centuries. This enthusiasm is demonstrated in his approach to tile making. This was carried out using a variation of the techniques that had previously been employed by the manufacturers of tin-glazed earthenware (delftware) tiles.
Design & Designing
William Morris's inspiration for such simple flower patterns as these, used on both tiles and embroideries, came from medieval herbals as well as the 18th-century Dutch and British tradition of flower-painted tin-glazed tiles. This 'Primrose' pattern relates closely to the embroidery designs for the Red House, Morris's own home.
Hand-painted tiles became a popular feature of artistic interiors from the 1860s onwards. Such tiles appear regularly in houses decorated in the Arts and Crafts style, and were used widely by exponents of vernacular architecture such as Richard Norman Shaw (1831-1912). The most common setting for such tiles was in and around the fireplace.
People
William Morris's love of medieval imagery is well known. In addition, however, he shared with many of his contemporaries a keen interest in vernacular British architecture and decorative art of the 17th and 18th centuries. This enthusiasm is demonstrated in his approach to tile making. This was carried out using a variation of the techniques that had previously been employed by the manufacturers of tin-glazed earthenware (delftware) tiles.
Design & Designing
William Morris's inspiration for such simple flower patterns as these, used on both tiles and embroideries, came from medieval herbals as well as the 18th-century Dutch and British tradition of flower-painted tin-glazed tiles. This 'Primrose' pattern relates closely to the embroidery designs for the Red House, Morris's own home.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Primrose (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Hand-painted on tin-glazed earthenware |
| Brief description | 'Primrose' tile |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by J. R. Holliday |
| Object history | Designed by William Morris (born in London, 1834, died there in 1896); produced by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., London; using a blank tile supplied from The Netherlands |
| Summary | Object Type Hand-painted tiles became a popular feature of artistic interiors from the 1860s onwards. Such tiles appear regularly in houses decorated in the Arts and Crafts style, and were used widely by exponents of vernacular architecture such as Richard Norman Shaw (1831-1912). The most common setting for such tiles was in and around the fireplace. People William Morris's love of medieval imagery is well known. In addition, however, he shared with many of his contemporaries a keen interest in vernacular British architecture and decorative art of the 17th and 18th centuries. This enthusiasm is demonstrated in his approach to tile making. This was carried out using a variation of the techniques that had previously been employed by the manufacturers of tin-glazed earthenware (delftware) tiles. Design & Designing William Morris's inspiration for such simple flower patterns as these, used on both tiles and embroideries, came from medieval herbals as well as the 18th-century Dutch and British tradition of flower-painted tin-glazed tiles. This 'Primrose' pattern relates closely to the embroidery designs for the Red House, Morris's own home. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.59-1931 |
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| Record created | May 26, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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