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Vine

Wallpaper
1873 (designed), 1874 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

William Morris was an English designer, writer and activist. In 1861, Morris founded his own firm, Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., which became Morris & Co., in 1875. As both a designer and theorist for the arts, his importance cannot be easily overestimated, and his influence continues. This wallpaper is printed in distemper colours on paper. It was printed by the wallpaper manufacturer, Jeffrey & Co. for Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co.

This wallpaper was manufactured in 1873-1874 and seven years afterwards, Morris asked in his publication Some Hints on Pattern Designing, whether it is 'not better to be reminded however simply of the close vine trellises which keep out the sun [...] than having to count day after day a few sham-real boughs and flowers, casting sham-real shadows on your walls, with little hint of anything beyond Covent Garden in them?' This wallpaper is an example of such a 'close vine trellis'. By 1890, Morris & Co.charged £0.40 to £0.50 per roll for 'Vine' wallpaper.

Object details

Category
Object type
TitleVine (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Hand printed in distemper colours by wood block, on paper
Brief description
Specimen of 'Vine' wallpaper pattern, a foliate design of two types of leaves and grapes; Hand printed in distemper colours by wood block, on paper; William Morris; Part of 'Volume 1', a pattern book containing 25 Morris & Co. patterns from 1862-81 (E.441-529-1919); England; First issued 1874.
Physical description
Specimen of 'Vine' wallpaper pattern, a foliate design of two types of leaves and grapes; Hand printed in distemper colours by wood block, 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).
Dimensions
  • Size of volume height: 68.5cm
  • Size of volume width: 53.3cm
Dimensions from: 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.
Style
Marks and inscriptions
(Inscribed on the back in ink with title, number and price.)
Gallery label
Seven years after this wallpaper was manufactured Morris asked in his published lecture 'The Lesser Arts' whether it is 'not better to be reminded however simply of the close vine trellises which keep out the sun [...]' 'than having to count day after day a few sham-real boughs and flowers, casting sham-real shadows on your walls, with little hint of anything beyond Covent Garden in them?' This wallpaper is an example of such a vine trellis.
Credit line
Given by Morris and Company
Object history
After publication as an ordinary distemper print, this design was brought out on a gold crape-embossed ground, a material which had earlier appeared in Jeffrey & Co.’s own range. It demonstrates the move into richer wallpaper effects and, at 40s. a roll, was extremely expensive (the ordinary distemper print cost 12s).

Willow, issued in the same year, is a simple pattern derived from the backprint of Vine.
Production
Within pattern book Volume 1 (1862-81).
Subjects depicted
Summary
William Morris was an English designer, writer and activist. In 1861, Morris founded his own firm, Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., which became Morris & Co., in 1875. As both a designer and theorist for the arts, his importance cannot be easily overestimated, and his influence continues. This wallpaper is printed in distemper colours on paper. It was printed by the wallpaper manufacturer, Jeffrey & Co. for Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co.

This wallpaper was manufactured in 1873-1874 and seven years afterwards, Morris asked in his publication Some Hints on Pattern Designing, whether it is 'not better to be reminded however simply of the close vine trellises which keep out the sun [...] than having to count day after day a few sham-real boughs and flowers, casting sham-real shadows on your walls, with little hint of anything beyond Covent Garden in them?' This wallpaper is an example of such a 'close vine trellis'. By 1890, Morris & Co.charged £0.40 to £0.50 per roll for 'Vine' wallpaper.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • 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.
  • Harvey, Charles and Jon Press. William Morris: Design and Enterprise in Victorian Britain. Manchester University Press, 1991.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design & Department of Paintings, Accessions 1919, London: Printed Under the Authority of His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1921
Collection
Accession number
E.485-1919

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
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