Willow

William Morris|Morris & Company|Jeffrey & Co.

1874 · Block-printed · Drawings and Prints

William Morris designed forty-one wallpapers and five ceiling papers, working from 1862 with Morris, Marshall, Faulkner, and Company and from 1875 with Morris & Company as sole owner. "Willow's" light, elegantly interaced leaves and stems stand out against a darker tone. First produced in 1885, the pattern should be distinguished from the slightly later "Willow Bough" (see 23.163.4k) of 1887 where the curled leaves are more densely arranged, and printed in colors that distinguish leaf from stem. If the elegantly stylized "Willow" conveys a Japanese sensibility, "Willow Bough" communicates greater naturalism.

Artist

William Morris|Morris & Company|Jeffrey & Co.

Date

1874

Medium

Block-printed

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. John C. Jessup, 1939