Paradise (c1940) celebrates a truly rich mix of styles. The English Heritage-owned
document from which this paper is drawn is actually a 20th Century piece, but
the subject – exotic flora and the familiar oriental ho-ho birds - is classic ancient
Chinoiserie, whilst the colouration in the original is very much in the style of a 19th
Century French paper. This design retains the original’s oversized repeat and has been
reproduced in six stunning colourways.
Sakura (c1936) is a pretty trail of matt leaves and delicate blossom originating in
France. The surface detail has been retained, contributing to its charming layered
depth, whilst the colouration has retained an elegant, seductive informality. A mica
ground has been used on some colourways to exaggerate the interplay of light and
contrast on the surface of the paper.
Darwin (c1760) represents one of the Whitworth Art Gallery’s most important recent
acquisitions and, with a twist in its story, this exemplary English piece was actually found
intact in a house in Aix-en-Provence, France. The exotic scene accurately imitates a
typical 18th Century hand-painted Chinese paper, but the tax stamp, still visible on
the back of the original rag paper, categorically identifies it as English in origin.
The colours interpreted in the ‘Serein’ colourway are very true to the original –
a surprisingly (and wonderfully) well-preserved archive document.
Gustav (c1875) was found in poor condition, making it somewhat difficult to date
accurately, but English Heritage archivists estimate it as mid-late 18th Century.
Found in Eagle House, a Jacobean manor in Wimbledon, it bears the hallmarks of
a classic block print, but in fact some of the flowers on the original were painted by
hand and applied over the pre-printed trail as part of a decorative border. The scale
of the pattern is reminiscent of a large damask design, but the muted colourways
adapted for ‘Archive Trails’ mean this paper can be used all-over, without
overpowering a room.
Vine (c1932) taken from the archive at the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester,
offers an unmistakeable nod to William Morris, the father of the late 19th Century
Arts & Crafts movement. An authentic surface print technique has been employed
to reproduce this contemporary version, with the blue colourway being very close to
the original in colour – despite the poor condition of the background colour on the
surviving fragment.
Stitch (c1940) is inspired by embroidered chintz cottons. The use of stippling (dot-work)
was popular in embroidery and printing, particularly at a time when block printing
was seen as an indication of status. In the late 19th and well into the 20th Century,
ornate patterns in the home were a conspicuous symbol of wealth and associated with
prosperity. The use of two print colours makes this paper especially easy to coordinate
with paint colours and other elements in the room.
China Rose (c1885) is a classic flamboyant floral, taken from a late 19th Century
French hand painted ‘Peking Stripe’ fabric with a distinct Chinese influence.
The distressed opaque colours in the leaves and petals portray the hand of
the original artist, in contrast with a judicious use of mica and metallic inks as
witnessed in some colourways.