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Sunflower

Wallpaper
07/01/1879 (design registered), 1879 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Jeffrey & Co. (manufacturer)
Morris & Co. (publisher)
Jeffrey & Co. (printer)
Morris, William (designer)
Place of origin
England (made)

Specimen of 'Sunflower' wallpaper, a symmetrical, formalised pattern of sunflowers and grape vines with fruit, in blue and white; Block-printed in distemper colour, 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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Discover more about this object
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
TitleSunflower (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
block-printed in distemper colour, on paper
Paper
Distemper
Block Printing
Brief description
Specimen of 'Sunflower' wallpaper, a symmetrical, formalised pattern of sunflowers and grape vines with fruit, in blue and white; Block-printed in distemper colour, on paper; Designed by William Morris; Printed by Jeffery & Co. for Morris & Co.; Part of 'Volume 1', a pattern book containing 25 Morris & Co. patterns from 1862-81 (E.441-529-1919); England; 1879.
Physical description
Specimen of 'Sunflower' wallpaper, a symmetrical, formalised pattern of sunflowers and grape vines with fruit, in blue and white; Block-printed in distemper colour, 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
Arts and Crafts (Movement)
Marks and inscriptions
(Inscribed on the back in ink with title, number and price.)
Credit line
Given by Morris and Co.
Object history
Given by Morris & Co.
Production
Within pattern book Volume 1 (1862-81).
Subjects depicted
Leaves (Plant Materials)
Stylized Flowers
Stylized Foliage
Sunflowers
Grape Vines
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.
  • 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.513-1919

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Record createdJune 11, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O248653/sunflower-wallpaper-morris-william/
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