Cleveland Museum of Art

Honeysuckle

William Morris

Date

Early 20th century

Medium

plain weave linen, printed

Culture

England, Early 20th century

Department

Textiles

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

William Morris’s daughter May called Honeysuckle “the most truly Morrisian in character of all his pattern-making . . . the most mysterious and poetic—the very symbol of a garden tangle.” Like many Morris textiles from this period, Honeysuckle has a mirrored pattern. At 29 3/4 inches high and 34 3/4 inches wide, this repeat was unusually broad, spanning almost the entire width of the loom. Morris believed that large patterns were more restful to the eye than small patterns, even when used to decorate modestly sized rooms. Designs from this period are a testament to the delight he took in his garden at Kelmscott Manor; he favored the charm of native English flowers above exotic specimens.

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