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Ceiling

Wallpaper
1883 (made), 22/11/1877 (registered)
Artist/Maker
Morris & Co. (publisher)
Morris, William (designer)
Place of origin
England (printed)

Specimen of 'Ceiling' paper, a formalised floral pattern with two axes of symmetry; Block-printed in distemper colour, on paper.
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
TitleCeiling (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
block-printed in distemper colour, on paper
Paper
Distemper
Block Printing
Brief description
Specimen of 'Ceiling' paper, a formalised floral pattern with two axes of symmetry; Block-printed in distemper colour, on paper; Designed by William Morris; Design registered 1877; 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; 1883.
Physical description
Specimen of 'Ceiling' paper, a formalised floral pattern with two axes of symmetry; Block-printed in distemper colour, on paper.
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
'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.
Subject depicted
Floral Pattern
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.
  • 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.
  • 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.2737-1980

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Record createdJune 22, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O251019/ceiling-wallpaper-morris-william/
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