William Morris: Trellis, 1864

William Morris (1834-1896)
block-printed wallpaper, Morris & Co
courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

William Morris's name and reputation are universally linked to wallpaper design, but there is a tendency to over-estimate the influence he had in this field, at least in his own lifetime. Despite his much repeated belief in 'art for all', his wallpapers, like most of the products of Morris and Co, were hand-made and expensive, and consequently appealed to more wealthy clients.

His papers were slow to find a market beyond fellow artists, and were positively disliked by some influential figures. However, he has had a long-lived effect on wallpaper design and consumption, creating designs which have enjoyed lasting appeal. Morris designed over 50 wallpapers, and his firm produced a further 49 by other designers including George Gilbert Scott, Kate Faulkner, and J.H. Dearle.

the above text appears on the back of the card
HC-1059: card size 6" x 6" (150mm x 150mm)