Porto Fino thumbnail 1
Porto Fino thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Porto Fino

Furnishing Fabric
1952 (designed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This charming design by Mary Oliver depicts traditional fishing boats bobbing alongside the port architecture of Porto Fino, a popular tourist destination on Italy's Genoese coast. After World War II, tourist destinations such as France and Italy and the paraphernalia of travel provided inspiration for fashion and furnishing textile designer such as Oliver.

Oliver, a graduate of the London County Council Central School of Arts & Crafts (established in 1896) designed prints for a wide range of leading textile manufacturers including Donald Brothers, Heals Fabrics, Edinburgh Weavers, and in this case Gayonnes Limited. In 1967, Oliver launched her eponymous textile company, a subsidiary of Donald Brothers. Her first collection took inspiration from an extended trip to the middle-east and featured a number of graphic, geometric prints with names such as Jerusalem and Jericho.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePorto Fino (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Screen printed furnishing fabric
Brief description
printed, 1952, British; Oliver, Mary for Gayonnes Ltd. "Porto Fino"
Physical description
Screen printed cotton depicting a whimsical scene of fishing boats in a port, with terraced rows of houses. Green and cream colourway.
Dimensions
  • Length: 174cm
  • Width: 120cm
Place depicted
Summary
This charming design by Mary Oliver depicts traditional fishing boats bobbing alongside the port architecture of Porto Fino, a popular tourist destination on Italy's Genoese coast. After World War II, tourist destinations such as France and Italy and the paraphernalia of travel provided inspiration for fashion and furnishing textile designer such as Oliver.

Oliver, a graduate of the London County Council Central School of Arts & Crafts (established in 1896) designed prints for a wide range of leading textile manufacturers including Donald Brothers, Heals Fabrics, Edinburgh Weavers, and in this case Gayonnes Limited. In 1967, Oliver launched her eponymous textile company, a subsidiary of Donald Brothers. Her first collection took inspiration from an extended trip to the middle-east and featured a number of graphic, geometric prints with names such as Jerusalem and Jericho.
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.62-1953

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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