{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O16969"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O16969/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT5680/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT5680/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AT5680","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT6848","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AN9766","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O16969/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O16969","accessionNumber":"E.17-1945","objectType":"Wallpaper design","titles":[{"title":"Swan, Rush and Iris","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>This is one of Walter Crane's earliest designs for wallpaper, created in 1875. The black outlines and solid blocks of colour of this design suggest a study of Greek vase painting. A slightly amended version of this design was produced as a wallpaper two years later by Jeffrey & Co.<br><br><b>People</b><br>Walter Crane (1845-1915) was the first President of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society. He excelled in flat pattern design and worked for many different manufacturers. He began designing wallpapers in 1874, after his name was suggested to Metford Warner, the director of Jeffrey & Co., by the designer, Bruce Talbert. He subsequently became one of Jeffrey & Co.'s most important designers.<br><br><b>Design & Designing</b><br>Walter Crane developed his figurative style through illustrating books, for which he was most famous. In his illustrated children's books of the 1870s, the clever drawings and brilliant colour sense made his work popular with children and adults alike, and they are still in print 130 years later. Typically, Crane's wallpaper designs were figurative, and often narrative, drawing on Greek myth, fairy tales and nursery rhymes. This design has a formality based on heraldic design combined with a naturalistic and pictorial theme. It is typical of Crane's style in the 1870s.","physicalDescription":"Design for 'Swan, Rush and Iris' wallpaper dado (E.5124, 5125-1919), silhouetted swans against a stylised background of rush and iris, suggesting the influence of Greek vase paintings; Body colour on paper; Signed with the artist's emblem.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Crane, Walter","id":"A8296"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"body colour","id":"x32506"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Body colour on paper","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Wall coverings","id":"THES48878"}],"styles":[{"text":"Art Nouveau","id":"AAT21430"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AT5680","2006AT6848","2006AN9766"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"DR","shelf":"156","box":"A"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"designs","id":"AAT102051"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1875","earliest":"1875-01-01","latest":"1875-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"E.5125-1919","id":"O16968"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"E.5124-1919","id":"O218519"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs Margaret Warner","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"53.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"53","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 20/01/1999 by SF\n\nObject mounted on paper backing 64 x 61.6","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Signed with the artist's emblem","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8877"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Exhibited <i>Art Nouveau in Britain</i>, Arts Council, 1965, no 27.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Design for 'Swan, Rush and Iris' wallpaper dado (E.5124, 5125-1919), silhouetted swans against a stylised background of rush and iris, suggesting the influence of Greek vase paintings; Designed by Walter Crane; Body colour on paper; Signed with the artist's emblem; England; 1875.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Greenhalgh, Paul (Ed.), Art Nouveau: 1890-1914 . London: V&A Publications, 2000","id":"AUTH352192"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Oman, Charles C., and Hamilton, Jean. <u>Wallpapers: a history and illustrated catalogue of the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum</u>. London: Sotheby Publications, in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1945</u>, London: HMSO, 1956."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"swan (animal)","id":"x30241"},{"text":"iris","id":"x31407"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nWalter Crane was the first president of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society.  He developed his figurative style through illustrating books. He was a prolific commercial designer and worked for many different manufacturers.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["E.17-1945"],"accessionNumberNum":"17","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1945,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP7375","2019LP3633","2019LU4306"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-10-15","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":false}}