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Morris & Co.

Honeysuckle (furnishing textile)

Maker

Morris &amp
Co.
(English, 1875 - 1940)

Title

Honeysuckle (furnishing textile)

Year

1876

Medium

  • cotton; plain weave,
  • block-printed

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

  • cotton; plain weave,
  • block-printed

Materials

cotton

Geography

Place Made: England

Dimensions

87.6 x 102.2 cm (34 1/2 x 40 1/4 inches)

Signature / Inscription / Marks

In selvage:William Morris 1876

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Mrs. Robert Fairbank and Mrs. Donald Crafts

Object Number

1988.096.5

Type

  • Textiles

Publications

  • Journal

Evolution/Revolution: The Arts and Crafts in Contemporary Fashion and Textiles

Exhibition History

Evolution Revolution
The Arts and Crafts in Contemporary Fashion and Textiles
Feb 22, 2008 – Jun 15, 2008

Label copy

Charles Darwin’s writings on evolution and the growth of plants affected more than just the scientific community: they had a powerful impact on design and the analysis of pattern. Integral to theories of design reform was the belief that artists must be schooled in all living forms and that nature is the ultimate designer. William Morris was one of many artists whose work was influenced by their knowledge of evolutionary theory and organic vitality, or dynamism.

Honeysuckle observes a strict symmetry based on a central vertical axis, reminiscent of early loom-derived patterns from the 15th century and later, but also illustrates Morris’s conviction that good design depicts perpetual motion, unlike the static and rigid massproduced patterns typical of the time.

Image use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use.

Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Morris & Co. (English, 1875 - 1940)
William Morris (British, 1834-1896), designer
Honeysuckle (furnishing textile), 1876
Cotton; plain weave, block-printed
87.6 x 102.2 cm (34 1/2 x 40 1/4 inches)
Gift of Mrs. Robert Fairbank and Mrs. Donald Crafts 1988.096.5

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Feedback

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