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Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C , Case DW, Shelf 55

Corona Vitae

Wallpaper
ca.late 19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Advertisement reproduction of the 'Corona Vitae' wallpaper and frieze designed by Walter Crane. With a portion of text 'NOTE ON THE WALL-PAPER DESIGN “CORONA VITAE”' by Walter Crane; Process half-tone engraving print, on paper.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCorona Vitae (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Process half-tone engraving, on paper
Brief description
Advertisement reproduction of the 'Corona Vitae' wallpaper and frieze designed by Walter Crane. With a portion of text 'NOTE ON THE WALL-PAPER DESIGN “CORONA VITAE”' by Walter Crane; Process half-tone engraving print, on paper; England; ca.1875-1915.
Physical description
Advertisement reproduction of the 'Corona Vitae' wallpaper and frieze designed by Walter Crane. With a portion of text 'NOTE ON THE WALL-PAPER DESIGN “CORONA VITAE”' by Walter Crane; Process half-tone engraving print, on paper.
Marks and inscriptions
  • <----- 1’.9” ---> / <----- 1’.9” ---> / <----- 3’.0” ---> / <----- 2’.0” ---> (Measurements lettered around edge of design.)
  • “VICTORIAN WALL-PAPER”. / Price of Frieze, Flat Treatment with Gilding from 5/-yd. / color without Gilding from 3/6 yd. (Lettered above design.)
  • Price in Embossed Leather Paper / from 8/6d. yard. / Price in Flat Treatment from 9d. yard. / with Gilding from 18d. yd. / THE “CORONA VITAE”. / PRODUCED IN EMBOSSED LEATHER, LEATHER-PAPER & FLAT TREATMENTS / DESIGNED BY WALTER CRANE. / FOR / JEFFREY & Co. 64. Essex Road. London. N. (Lettered below design.)
  • NOTE ON THE WALL-PAPER DESIGN / “CORONA VITAE”. / Technically speaking, in the design of the field of the pattern and the / frieze a suggestion has been taken from the growth and arrangement of the / Crown-Imperial, which occurs in both in a more or less abstract form. / Symbolically the design may be understood as generally emblematic of a full, / rich and ample life, not without its changes and contrasts but ever springing anew / to flower and fruition. While the floral winged Lions, supporting the Crown / of Life, indicate its material triumphs; the Sphinxes, on either side of the tree, / figure its mystery, and those unanswered problems perpetually presented afresh to / humanity in the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. / In the freize the Crown again appears upheld in triumph by good genii of the / house, in the full pride of its flowering time, alternating with the fruit-bearing / seed after its kind. / WALTER CRANE. (Lettered on right-hand of sheet, alongside the design.)
Credit line
Given by Emslie John Horniman, Esq.
Subjects depicted
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.
  • Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design, Accessions 1915, London: Printed under the Authority of His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1916.
Collection
Accession number
E.4055-1915

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Record createdApril 21, 2009
Record URL
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