Saturday, December 16, 2017

Block-Printed English Wallpapers

Essex & Co.
Ribbon Frieze
ca. 1908
block-printed wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

James Huntington
Huntington Rosette
ca. 1840-60
block-printed wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Anonymous English designer
Nursery Frieze - Dutch Girls
ca. 1910
block-printed wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Jeffrey & Co.
Frieze - Elgin Marbles
1851
block-printed  wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Arthur Sanderson & Co.
Border - Bourbon Rose
ca. 1840-50
block-printed wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

PICKING

Go ahead, you pick, it makes absolutely no difference to me.
They should too, I'm not just saying it,
go ahead and pick, for me any of them are just fine.
You like this one? take it then.
Or this one? you're not sure? you like both?
take them both, there's plenty.
Only one? whatever you want, think about it, no rush, this one?
me? what do you want me to say, you're the one who's got to like it,
my opinion is that I think it looks good, you think so too?
so take it then.
And the rest of you, don't just stand there frozen in place,
first you're laughing, and now you're all stressed out?
pick whichever one you want, I haven't even given it a thought,
they're all the same to me, do I h ave to draw you a picture?
But you, we're not settled anymore? I can see it in your face,
you're having second thoughts? you want to make a change?
what are you looking at? show me, you want that one?
go on, put back the other one, you know you've really got a good eye.
So now, everyone's picked?
And this one's left for me, well just look at that,
I hadn't even given it a thought,
you know what I've got to say to all of you?
that if I'd been the one with first choice this is the one I'd have picked.
But then again, really, they're all nice.
At any rate, we're all even, one for everyone,
no bickering, you're looking at me, you're not happy?
you want this one?

– Raffaello Baldini (1924-2005), translated by Adria Bernardi

Walter Crane for Jeffrey & Co.
Dado - Robed Male Figures in Boat
1877
block-printed-wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Anonymous English designer
Salmon-fishing in the Highlands
ca. 1870
block-printed wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Walter Crane for Jeffrey & Co
Frieze fragment - Peacock
1878
block-printed wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Walter Crane for Jeffrey & Co
Rosamund
1908
block-printed wallpaper
 Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Thomas Avery
Corner-piece
ca. 1850
block-printed wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Jeffrey & Co
Albion
ca. 1882
block-printed wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Walter Crane for Jeffrey & Co
Oak
1904
block-printed wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

William Morris
Acanthus
1875
block-printed wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Anonymous English designer
'Print Room'
ca. 1760
block-printed wallpaper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London