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Bird
Public Domain

William Morris and Morris & Company

Bird

1876

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Bird

1876

Physical Qualities Wool, 93 1/4 x 34 1/8 in. (236.8 x 86.6 cm.)
Credit Line Gift of Dena S. Katzenberg, Baltimore, MD.
Object Number 1995.240
A long rectangular curtain panel of woven woollen double cloth in the pattern called 'Bird' designed by William Morris. The curtain panel includes somewhat more than three vertical repeats* of the pattern which consists of pairs of affronted birds on a background of intertwining foliage and flowers. Several types of birds are represented. In one pair the birds look away from each other while in the other they look toward each other and their wings overlap at the tips. Colors of yarn include subdued shades of dark blue, light blue, coral-pink, yellow-green, and white. The panel appears to have a selvage on the right side, but is rolled over approx. 1/2" to 5/8" on the left and 7/8" to 1" on the bottom and hemmed with crude hand stitches. The top is folded over approximately 2-1/4" and finished with a 1-7/8" brown woven tape to which are sewn four large metal rings with spaces and threads for three additional rings (now missing). *The vertical repeat measures approximately 28-1/2", the horizontal repeat measures 17-1/4" (18-1/2" according to Parry. See references).
Baltimore Museum of Art by gift, 1995; Dena Katzenberg, Baltimore, MD.
Anita Jones, "William Morris: The Reactionary Revolutionary," BMA, April 9, 2003 - October 5, 2003, no catalogue.
Andre, Linda, and Routhier, Jessica Skwire. Eds. The Baltimore Museum of Art: Celebrating A Museum. Baltimore, Maryland: Baltimore Museum of Art, 2014. pg.56

Inscribed: Sewn on the reverse at the upper left is a small fabric tag with the woven or machine embroidered letter/numbers 'P286' in black.

Designer

William Morris

English, 1834-1896
Meet William Morris

Manufacturer

Morris & Company

1875-1940; working at Merton Abbey, 1881-1940
Meet Morris & Company

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