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Waves and Fish

Wallpaper
ca.1930 (made)
Artist/Maker
The Curwen Press (Printed and published)
Bawden, Edward (designer)
Place of origin
England (made)

Portion of 'Waves and Fish' wallpaper; Colour lithograph on paper.

Object details

Category
Wall Coverings
Object type
Wallpaper
TitleWaves and Fish (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph on paper
Paper
Colour Lithograph
Brief description
Portion of 'Waves and Fish' wallpaper; Colour lithograph on paper; Designed by Edward Bawden; Colour lithograph on paper; Printed and published by the Curwen Press Ltd; England; ca.1930.
Physical description
Portion of 'Waves and Fish' wallpaper; Colour lithograph on paper.
Dimensions
  • Portion height: 71.2cm
  • Portion width: 55.7cm
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.
Credit line
Given by Modern Textiles
Object history
Formerly part of the permanent collection of the British Institute of Industrial Art, transferred to the Victoria & Albert Museum on 1 January 1934.

The British Institute of Industrial Art (BIIA) existed from 1919 to 1934. It was established by the Board of Trade and the Board of Education with the primary aim of raising the standard of design in British manufacturing industry. Though its activities, it also sought to influence public taste, and contained numerous examples of popular Art Deco and interwar period styles. The BIIA opened an Exhibition Gallery in Knightsbridge, London, and, during the two decades of its existence, held a series of exhibitions and public lectures, and published various reports. In 1922, the BAAI held their annual show at the V&A. The organisation was dissolved in 1934 when the Board of Trade decided to take direct responsibility for the arts and industry. 361 objects from the BIIA permanent collection were transferred to the V&A, largely consisting of prints and ceramics. These objects were on long term display in the north court galleries of the V&A prior to their official transfer into the permanent collection in 1934.
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.
  • Announcing the inauguration of the BIIA in 'The Studio' (May 1919, p.132) it stated that: 'During the recent period of reconstructional effort, numerous societies, leagues, and associations have sprung up, filled with artistic effort, backed by men and women of repute schooled in thought of the right sort. There is a danger of each of these societies overlapping and covering the same ground unknown to the others, for the problems with which they deal, when investigated, are seen to tend to the same end, the general setting right of art in everyday life. The new Institute should be the means of co-ordinating the activities of such bodies and with their aid should bring home to the masses the real need for art.' In 'Drawing and Design', Volume 1, Issue 2, June 1920, it was stated that their annual exhibitions would be: 'essentially an exhibition of industrial products and not of designs, and a special fund is to be enabled by the State, through the Victoria & Albert Museum, to acquire for the nation specimens of the best work exhibited each year'.
Other number
C.8799 - Previous number
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.3874-1934

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Record createdMarch 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O211743/waves-and-fish-wallpaper-bawden-edward/
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