Chants for Socialists

Details

Date: 06.12.1939
Object Type: archival
Catalogue number: J2448
Recipient: Morris | Effie | Miss
Author: Culmer, George
Credit notes: Gift of Effie M. Morris, 1971

Letter from George Culmer to Effie Morris regarding his wife, Ada’s death. Ada Culmer was Jenny Morris’s carer, after marrying George, the couple cared for Jenny (who lived with epilepsy) together until 1917. In the letter George expresses his shock that Ada had died, writing: ‘Only the day before she saw the specialist she had the Knitting Guild here for the afternoon and a fortnight before spent a weekend with Mrs Gill who is very grieved that she has gone’. The Mrs Gill he refers to is possible Alice Gill, William Morris’s younger sister indicating that the Culmer’s kept up good relations with the Morris family. The letter continues with a reference to his reading the final two books of May Morris’s ‘Collected Works of William Morris’.

Details

Date: c.1890s
Dimensions: 19.8 x 25.5
Object Type: design
Material: pencil on paper
Catalogue number: A523
Designer: Jack, George Washington Henry (1855 - 1931)
Credit notes: Gift of Margery Jack, 1972

This original design indicates that the table was originally intended to be decorated with different coloured wood inlay. On the present example, (G53) the pattern is the same, but painted; the painting executed by the artist’s daughter Jessie Jack, who donated the table to the gallery. Possibly made and designed as a workbox for George Jack’s wife Annie’s embroidery. When exhibited in 1899 the table was described as a ..”very entertaining little work table.., the construction of which seems somewhat frail even for feminine use, but one can forgive that, since it is painted in the gayest fashion imaginable”.

Details

Date: 07.08.1899
Dimensions: 31.2 x 21.6
Object Type: drawing
Material: chalk on paper
Catalogue number: BrD21
Artist: Fletcher, Hanslip, 1875, 1955
Credit notes: Brangwyn Gift, 1936

This is one of a series of sketches of Kelmscott Manor by the artist Hanslip Fletcher, during a visit to Kelmscott on 7th August 1899. Morris had died three years earlier in 1896, and the house was occupied by Jane Morris, who later bought it in 1913. The pencil sketch shows a view looking down the main staircase, with a brass chandelier and paintings on the wall.

Fletcher was an etcher, illustrator and painter specialising in architectural studies of London and elsewhere. He was born and lived in London and was a member of the Art Workers’ Guild.

Details

Date: c. 1880
Dimensions: 41.1 x 28.9
Object Type: drawing
Material: pencil and watercolour on paper
Catalogue number: D163
Artist: Mackmurdo | Arthur Heygate | 1851 | 1942
Credit notes: Mackmurdo Bequest, 1942

This monochrome study of a daisy flower head was drawn by Mackmurdo, most likely in the 1870s or 1880s. Mackmurdo frequently included flowers and other botanical forms in repeating patterns and furniture designs for the Century Guild. The irregular nature of the petals, as seen in the side view, imply the study was likely drawn by Mackmurdo from life. However, the stylised regular arrangement of the carpels, as seen in the top-down view, show traces of Mackmurdo’s distinctive style.

Details

Dimensions: 51 x 40
Object Type: design
Material: sepia wash and pencil on paper
Catalogue number: A459
Designer: Morris & Co.

This embroidery design features large, curling acanthus leaves – a favourite of Morris and a popular feature of many of his designs for embroidery as well as textiles and wallpaper. Morris’s designs enlarged and foregrounded the acanthus leaf, and for this he likely took some inspiration from ‘Large Leaf Verdure’ tapestries produced in 16th-century France and Belgium. Verdure, or ‘greenery’ tapestries featured exaggerated leaf designs, often with other plants, birds and animals nestled amongst them. They became popular as the designs were easily adapted to different sizes, and the weaving process for the leaf pattern was relatively simple. As a result they could be produced more cheaply, and were therefore available to a wide range of buyers, echoing Morris’ ideals of art and design for all.
Acanthus leaves have been used as inspiration for decorative objects and architectural embellishments as far back as the 5th century, first found in Ancient Greek friezes, roof ornaments and perhaps most prominently in the capitals of Corinthian columns. When Greece came under Roman rule, the aesthetics of Greek decorative arts were brought into Roman architecture and furniture. The acanthus motif was particularly adopted and adapted: the swirling, curling leaves providing a sense of movement and depth to designs. The endurance of the acanthus has partially been credited to the adaptability and hardiness of the plant itself. It has been grown all over the world, used in medicines and for the preservation of food. Conceptually, the leaf has come to symbolise enduring life, immortality and strength.

Archives: Objects

Pages

Archives

Categories