I am still poking about the V&A and discovered a fascinating series of articles on of all things …the history of wallpaper. The section on Design Reform speaks about the influence of the Great Exhibition of 1851. Some have suggested that at this exhibition women where exposed to the asymmetrical patterns of Japan and this interest developed into crazy quilting. The article features a wallpaper swatch book. Take a look as many of the designs tweaked a little would pass in todays homes. Even the colours look contemporary.
For those who are interested in the Arts and Crafts Movement the article on William Morris is really worth reading. It really is a an interesting series of essays make a cuppa and settle down to read a bit. OK I will get off the site and go and so some work now!
I have an enormous, coffee table style book on William Morris – besides being total eye candy, it is a fascinating treatise on the design revolution of that period. I highly recommend studying his work! Great design inspiration for fiber artists also.
Yes I get lost on the V&A site – its a great place to simply explore
I love the V&A website – in fact, that was the way I found embroidery blogs. I’ve spent many a happy afternoon noodling around the site – enjoy!