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Tree Frieze

Wallpaper
1880-1917 (made)
Artist/Maker
Morris & Co. (publisher)
Morris, William (designer)
Place of origin
England (printed)

Specimen of 'Tree Frieze' wallpaper, a simple design of foliage and flowers in blue and (?)beige, on a pale ground; Colour woodblock, or machine, print on paper; On the same page, above the design, is a short text explaining the advantage of hand-printed papers over those printed by machine.
Part of a wallpaper pattern book containing 132 specimens (E.2734-2866-1980), mounted on a display stand, with a cloth cover.

Object details

Categories
Wall Coverings
Prints
Object type
Wallpaper
TitleTree Frieze (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Colour woodblock, or machine, print on paper
Paper
Printing
Brief description
Specimen of 'Tree Frieze' wallpaper, a simple design of foliage and flowers in blue and (?)beige, on a pale ground; Colour woodblock, or machine, print on paper; Designed by William Morris; Published by Morris & Co.; Part of a wallpaper pattern book containing 132 specimens (E.2734-2866-1980), mounted on a display stand, with a cloth cover; England; 1880-1917.
Physical description
Specimen of 'Tree Frieze' wallpaper, a simple design of foliage and flowers in blue and (?)beige, on a pale ground; Colour woodblock, or machine, print on paper; On the same page, above the design, is a short text explaining the advantage of hand-printed papers over those printed by machine.
Part of a wallpaper pattern book containing 132 specimens (E.2734-2866-1980), mounted on a display stand, with a cloth cover.
Style
Arts and Crafts (Movement)
Marks and inscriptions
  • MORRIS & Co TREE FRIEZE (Lettered in selvage of design.)
  • DO NOT CUT PATTERNS, / QUOTE NAME AND NUMBER. (Stamped, in purple, in corner of design.)
  • 'THESE PAPERS ARE PRINTED BY HAND / Hand or Block-printed Papers and Machine-printed Papers. / MORRIS AND COMPANY are often asked "What is the advantage of hand-printed papers over those printed by machine?" / HAND-PRINTED PAPERS are produced very slowly, each block used being dipped into pigment and then firmly pressed on to the paper, giving a great body of colour. This process takes place with each separate colour, which is slowly dried before another is applied. The consequence is that in the finished paper there is a considerable mass of solid colour. / MACHINE-PRINTED PAPERS are produced at a great speed, all the colours being printed at one time and rapidly dried in a heated gallery. In consequence of the speed at which they are printed, there is merely a film of colour deposited on the surface of the paper. / FOR PERMANENT USE we strongly recommend the hand-printed paper. / The machine-printed papers are placed at the end of one of the books or in a msall book by themselves. / Show Rooms: / 449, Oxford Street, London, W.' (Printed on cover sheet of stand-book.)
Credit line
Given by Shand Kydd Ltd
Object history
Produced by Morris & Co., 449, Oxford Street, London.
Given by Shand Kydd Ltd.
Production
Part of a pattern book of wallpapers containing 132 specimens (E.2734-2866-1980) from 1880-1917.
Subjects depicted
Flowers
Foliation (Pattern)
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.
  • Saunders, Gill. Wallpaper in Interior Decoration. V&A Publications. London. 2002. pp. 118. pl 103.
  • 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.
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.2734-1980

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Record createdJune 22, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O251010/tree-frieze-wallpaper-morris-william/
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