Arbutus Pattern Bookmark

William Morris (English, 1834–1896)
Wallpaper sample

A founder of the Arts and Crafts movement in Britain—which valued handcraftsmanship over mass production of goods—William Morris was a poet, weaver, and designer of wallpapers, textiles, and carpets. His genius shone especially brightly in the design of complex floral patterns; his work defines the best of Victorian design.

This gorgeous wallpaper design, from the collection of the Brooklyn Museum, was selected from a sample book used in a Morris & Company showroom in London in the early twentieth century. Morris’s designs have aged gracefully; they are every bit as elegant today as when they came off his drawing board.