- Collects the majority of William Morris's wallpaper designs in one
volume- Accompanies an exhibition at Edinburgh's Dovecot Studios-
Beautifully designed, lavishly illustrated, with text by leading
authority Mary Schoeser- Short video for the title hereThis extensively
illustrated volume focuses on William Morris (1834-1896), placing his
wallpaper designs within the context of the radical changes in taste
witnessed during the Victorian era. Against a backdrop of the fanciful,
naturalistic patterns that typified fashionable papers in Morris's
youth, the impact of the Reform Movement of the mid-19th century is
underscored, particularly the reformers' crusade against such
multi-colored ornamental decoration. Instead, the insistence on the
concepts of honesty and propriety as promoted by A. W. N. Pugin and Owen
Jones, are demonstrated as influences on Morris. The role of imported
Japanese wallpapers is also explored, giving insight into a
seldom-discussed cultural exchange evidenced within the story of Morris
& Co, which produced wallpapers from 1864 until 1940 and, after a
post-war hiatus, from the 1960s to the present. Amplifying Morris's role
in the creation of an influential and lasting style, his work is set
within a selection by other designers, including Christopher Dresser and
C. F. A. Voysey. Also introduced are firms of significance including
Jeffrey & Co. and Arthur Sanderson & Sons, both of whom block-printed
the Morris wallpapers. In a highly visual presentation, what is revealed
are influences across time and within a global context, as pertinent to
the creation of wallpaper art in the 19th century as it is today.
