wallpaper
Wall Treatments with ImpactThese two designs were among the samples removed from a wallpaper sample book produced by the Grantil Company in 1928. While each of these patterns is boldly styled and colored in itself, they were designed to be used in tandem. A number of samples contained in this book had applied lithographed illustrations showing the manufacturer’s suggestions for using these papers to best effect, which often included the combination of multiple papers on a single wall. Art Deco, wallpaper, pink, patterns |
||
Sacred to WashingtonSacred to Washington is one of the earliest American wallpapers in the collection. This is a woodblock print on joined sheets of handmade paper. While it has faded to a uniform shade of gray, the design was originally printed in grisaille, or shades of gray, on a blue ground, as can be seen in abraded areas at the bottom of the design. wallpaper, memorial, trophies, Liberty, Justice, eagle, George Washington |
||
Cocktail wallpapersCocktail papers followed the end of Prohibition in 1933. This design is typical of the genre, with its whimsical personifications of cocktails. The drinks shown in this design include a Pink Lady, Sidecar, a Manhattan, Scotch & Lime, and a Stinger. They are printed in bright colors on a metallic copper background. Quite often, these motifs were mixed with elements of gaming, such as cards or dice. Interior decorators began recommending game rooms for adult use in the mid-1930s. wallpaper, cocktail, Manhattan, Pink Lady, Prohibition |
||
Learning Can Be FunAlphabet border by William Wegman was a charming addition to the field of children’s wallpapers in 1993. Wegman began photographing his weimaraners in 1970 and his photographs became a huge favorite with adults and children alike. What’s not to like about a beautiful dog holding a goofy pose! Alphabet border takes the dog photography a step further by making it educational. The dogs are arranged in groups of 2 to 5 dogs, spelling out the different letters of the alphabet from A to Z. wallpaper, border, dog, ABCs, alphabet, Wegman |
||
Alpha WorkshopsBlock-printed on a painted ground, Sunflower is a contemporary wallpaper created using techniques popular in the early years of wallpaper production. The design is printed in two colors with a single set of blocks, with the registration shifted after the printing of the first color. This two-layer printing over painted ground creates a subtle all-over effect. Eliminating voids in the pattern creates a nice flow over the wall surface. Sunflower, Alpha Workshops, wallpaper, block print, New York City |
||
ZedThe German wallpaper company Rasch, founded in 1897, produced the original Bauhaus wallpapers in 1929. For their 1992 Zeitwande collection, Rasch commissioned eleven different designs from nine internationally-recognized designers, including Memphis Group designers Ettore Sottsass, Nathalie du Pasquier, and Alessandro Mendini, and Czech architect and designer, Bořek Šipek. Glass, bead, vinyl, applique, wall coverings, wallpaper, Rasch, Bořek Šipek, Czech |
||
AcornAcorn is an early digital print by Francesco Simeti. The format is based on the print room papers fashionable in England in the mid-18th century. This trend began with the pasting of actual prints on the wall, which were then outlined with narrow wallpaper borders. Manufacturers picked up on this trend and started designing wallpaper that copied the look of framed prints. Common views included pastoral scenes and architectural ruins. wallpaper, frame, print, acorn, Francesco Simeti |
||
Kindergarten Cut-OutsThe Schmitz-Horning Company was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1905 and was known for its lithographed borders and scenic wallpapers. One of its early papers was “Kindergarten Cut-Outs,” the first interactive wallpaper designed for children. These papers were sold as five-foot long panels at a cost of one dollar per panel. The paper in the Museum’s collection is not a full panel—as you can see, the cat has been cut in half. wallpaper, nursery, dog, rabbit, animals, lithograph, Schmitz-Horning Company |
||
The House that Jack BuiltWalter Crane was introduced to the arts early in life as the second son of Thomas Crane, a portrait painter and miniaturist. The younger Crane was apprenticed to a wood engraver at an early age and also began enrolling in drawing classes. He illustrated his first children’s books in the 1860s, working under Edmund Evans. Children’s wallpapers first appeared in the 1870s and were printed by engraved copper rollers in a monochromatic sepia colorway. nursery, wallpaper, aesthetic, dog, cat, 19th century, nursery rhyme, children's books |
||
"Arches" from the Mezzotone PapersIlonka Karasz (1896-1981) designed in a variety of media, including wallpaper, silver, textiles, and furniture, but was probably best known for her New Yorker magazine cover illustrations. She designed 186 covers in total beginning in 1925. She was the first woman admitted to the Royal School of Arts and Crafts in Budapest. After emigrating from Hungary to the United States in 1913, Karasz became one of few women working in the design field. mural, trees, birds, surreal, panorama, wallpaper, Ilonka Karasz |
