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Fruit

Wallpaper
1865-66 (designed), 1866 (produced)
Artist/Maker
Jeffrey & Co. (manufacturer)
Morris & Co. (publisher)
Morris, William (designer)
Place of origin
England (made)

'Fruit' (or 'Pomegranate') wallpaper pattern, branches of fruit trees bearing oranges, lemons and pomegranates, on a blue ground; Block-printed in distemper colours, 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).

Object details

Categories
Wall Coverings
Prints
Object type
Wallpaper
Titles
  • Fruit (manufacturer's title)
  • Pomegranate (popular title)
Materials and techniques
block-printed in distemper colours, on paper
Paper
Distemper
Block Printing
Brief description
'Fruit' (or 'Pomegranate') wallpaper pattern, branches of fruit trees bearing oranges, lemons and pomegranates, on a blue ground; Block-printed in distemper colours, on paper; Part of 'Volume 1', a pattern book containing 25 Morris & Co. patterns from 1862-81 (E.441-529-1919); England; First issued ca.1866.
Physical description
'Fruit' (or 'Pomegranate') wallpaper pattern, branches of fruit trees bearing oranges, lemons and pomegranates, on a blue ground; Block-printed in distemper colours, 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 sheet height: 673mm
  • Size of sheet width: 525mm
Size of Volume: 68.5 x 53.3 cm. 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
Arts and Crafts (Movement)
Marks and inscriptions
(Inscribed on the back in ink with title, number and price.)
Credit line
Given by Morris & Co.
Object history
Possibly the second paper designed by Morris to be issued. The serial numbering in the printing log places it between Daisy and Trellis. However, Linda Parry (see references) cites Mackail's notes that suggest that the design was made 'no earlier than 1865'.
Production
Within pattern book Volume 1 (1862-81).
The 'Fruit' (or 'Pomegranate') design was the second paper designed by William Morris to be issued, produced in 1864.
Subjects depicted
Branches
Lemons
Pomegranates
Fruit
Oranges
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.
  • 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, pp.206-207, ill.
  • 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
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.449-1919

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Record createdJune 10, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O248446/fruit-wallpaper-morris-william/
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