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Morris embroidery
c 1890-1900

Beautifuly colours and design. The frame says c. 1900-1910 so I think this embroidery was made as a cushion cover and slightly later framed. The design shows mirror image, which was also used on Morris & Co carpet designs. Early examples of this design show the background unworked. Almost certainly designed by May. By producing small embroideries, for firescreens and cushions, many more people were able to acquire designs. Many of these designs were sold in kit form, becoming the financial mainstay of the business. The designs were available in three different stages of completion; as background fabric marked with the design to be embroidered entirely at home, with the embroidery already started as a guide,or, all the work could be done in the Morris & Co workshops. William Morris in 1885 handed over the management of the Embroidery Section to his daughter May, aged 23. She had already designed embroideries and was a skilled embroideress. All designs for embroidery were either designed by her or John Henry Dearle, Morris's assistant, who on Morris's death became Art Director. May(1862-1939) had only three years formal schooling which was undertaken at Notting Hill High School. She attended the South Kensington School of Design where she studied embroidery, encouraged by her father. May was interested in embroidery technique and became much more of an expert than her father. After her marriage to Henry Halliday Spurling she and her staff worked in the drawing room of her home. The embroiresses worked from designs drawn, usually by George Wardle, onto greased paper. These were then pounced or carbon traced onto background fabric. In the 1890's a cushion cover panel traced onto Manchester cloth was 4s.5 d.(45p) A few shillings were added if the design was begun. For a finished embroidery of this size the cost was around 14 s (£1.40). May published several books on embroidery. Parry, Linda William Morris Textiels p 28

Cataloguing

probably designed by May Morris with a mirrored repeat of flour flowerheads in shades of pink having green centres and surrounded by green acanthus type leaves, all on a grey/green ground, all using thick twisted silks, in oak frame, 17 x 18 in; 43 x 46 cm

Condition

Excellent.