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Larkspur

Wallpaper
1874 (designed), 1875 (published)
Artist/Maker
Jeffrey & Co. (manufacturer)
Morris & Co. (publisher)
Morris, William (designer)
Place of origin
England (made)

'Larkspur' wallpaper pattern, foliate design with flowers, grey on a pale 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).

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read William Morris and wallpaper design During his career, William Morris produced over 50 wallpapers. These designs – many of which feature in the V&A's extensive Morris collection – adopted a naturalistic and very British take on pattern that was both new and quietly radical.

Object details

Categories
Wall Coverings
Prints
Object type
Wallpaper
TitleLarkspur (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
block-printed in distemper colours, on paper
Paper
Distemper
Block Printing
Brief description
'Larkspur' wallpaper pattern, foliate design with flowers, grey on a pale ground; Block-printed in distemper colours, on paper; Inscribed on the back in ink with title, number and price; William Morris; Part of 'Volume 1', a pattern book containing 25 Morris & Co. patterns from 1862-81 (E.441-529-1919); England; First issued 1875.
Physical description
'Larkspur' wallpaper pattern, foliate design with flowers, grey on a pale 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 volume from oman and hamilton height: 68.5cm
  • Size of volume from oman and hamilton width: 53.3cm
  • From parry height: 68.6cm
  • From parry width: 52.5cm
Dimensions, respectively, 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. 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.
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
Larkspur was first issued as a monochrome paper. A single-colour version was registered as a printed textile in April 1875.
Production
Within pattern book Volume 1 (1862-81).
This design was also produced in monochrome, and as a chintz and a woven silk.
Subjects depicted
Leaves (Plant Materials)
Foliation (Pattern)
Floral Pattern
Flowers
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, p.208, 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.468-1919

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Record createdJune 10, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O248490/larkspur-wallpaper-morris-william/
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