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Wallpaper

ca. 1890-1900 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Decorative schemes in the Aesthetic style often included imitation leather wallpapers. Some arbiters of taste, such as the writer Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), preferred them to conventional wallpapers because of the rich and luxurious effect they created. He recommended their use in his series of lectures on interior decoration. He also hung a Japanese leather paper in the drawing room of his ‘house beautiful’ at 16 Tite Street, London. This paper was one of several made for Liberty & Co., the London department store. Liberty’s specialised in Aesthetic style and oriental furnishings. The paper may have been made in Japan, where there were a number of workshops specialising in the production of imitation leather papers in the later 19th century. They manufactured them for the European market.

Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Embossed paper with bronze metallic pigment
Brief description
Sample of Liberty 'leather' wallpaper with peacock feather motif. ca.1890-1900
Physical description
Sample of imitation embossed leather wallpaper with peacock feather motif.
Dimensions
  • Height: 28.7cm
  • Width: 16.8cm
Styles
Marks and inscriptions
'No 84 / 36 inches wide / Price 17/6 / per piece of 12 yards / OR / 1/9 per yard. / LIBERTY & CO. LTD., LONDON.' (Label; on the back; Printed)
Credit line
Given by Mr Paul Reeves
Subject depicted
Summary
Decorative schemes in the Aesthetic style often included imitation leather wallpapers. Some arbiters of taste, such as the writer Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), preferred them to conventional wallpapers because of the rich and luxurious effect they created. He recommended their use in his series of lectures on interior decoration. He also hung a Japanese leather paper in the drawing room of his ‘house beautiful’ at 16 Tite Street, London. This paper was one of several made for Liberty & Co., the London department store. Liberty’s specialised in Aesthetic style and oriental furnishings. The paper may have been made in Japan, where there were a number of workshops specialising in the production of imitation leather papers in the later 19th century. They manufactured them for the European market.
Bibliographic reference
Saunders, Gill. Wallpaper in Interior Decoration. V&A Publications. London. 2002. pp. 124. pl 108.
Collection
Accession number
E.436-1999

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Record createdOctober 28, 1999
Record URL
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