How was it made? Block printing William Morris Wallpaper | V&A

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ค. 2021
  • This video recreates the painstaking reproduction of a William Morris wallpaper design from 1875, a process that can take up to 4 weeks, using 30 different blocks and 15 separate colours.
    Find out more about William Morris designs: www.vam.ac.uk/collections/wil...

ความคิดเห็น • 143

  • @vamuseum
    @vamuseum  2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Find out more about this wallpaper design in Explore the Collections: collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78222/acanthus-wallpaper-morris-william/

  • @casteretpollux
    @casteretpollux 2 ปีที่แล้ว +152

    Incredible precision. No wonder it's so expensive.

  • @curiousworld7912
    @curiousworld7912 2 ปีที่แล้ว +18

    No one has ever done more beautiful wallpaper, as far as I'm concerned, as did William Morris. Just gorgeous...

  • @angelbaby1811
    @angelbaby1811 2 ปีที่แล้ว +44

    This explains why certain products are so expensive. What painstaking detail. Beautiful.

  • @rightweaponry908
    @rightweaponry908 2 ปีที่แล้ว +36

    the end scene with each layer sped up kinda looks like a digital imagine loading,
    like slowly getting clearer, for some reason that kinda hit me, this is when people were their own computers.

  • @londonhodnet4079
    @londonhodnet4079 2 ปีที่แล้ว +71

    Fascinating, very labour intensive, beautiful

  • @jeremyljonesjr
    @jeremyljonesjr 2 ปีที่แล้ว +31

    I love seeing acanthus in design. It’s such a timeless plant.

    • @FreyaOakley
      @FreyaOakley 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I absolutely love William Morris and this wallpaper design but if one could have plants as enemies, acanthus would be mine! Nightmare to get rid of, highly prolific, prickly and even cannon fires its thumbnail sized seeds a few meters in the middle of summer. Very painful to get hit by them!

  • @Inkling777
    @Inkling777 2 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    William Morris was incredibly creative. In addition to wallpapers, he wrote fantasy novels that influenced J.R. R. Tolkien.

    • @flamencoprof
      @flamencoprof 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      I still have in paperback a two volume 1971 printing of his The Well At the World's End, though I don't think I've opened them since reading then.

    • @lunarose9
      @lunarose9 28 วันที่ผ่านมา

      and many socilaist essays

  • @liveoak4124
    @liveoak4124 2 ปีที่แล้ว +28

    Thank you, these shorts are wonderful but they always leave me wanting. Please consider making them of longer duration with more details of the subject.

    • @mimi0864
      @mimi0864 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      They are meant to be tasters on the subject. Mr google will elaborate.

  • @kakussubrado8966
    @kakussubrado8966 2 ปีที่แล้ว +35

    That's so cool. It's like a giant stamp! Kudos to these wonderful and respectable artisans of such exquisite and tedious craft 💖

    • @voraciousreader3341
      @voraciousreader3341 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It IS a giant stamp, lol! And artisans took great pride in their work, so they would never say it was “tedious.” It’s art, and artists and artisans see the value of what they do, and it gives joy and satisfaction to see every stage develop, and to see their ideas coming to fruition. It’s just like an artist painting something that pleases them,, or a sculptor “finding” a statue inside a block of stone.

  • @Lisa_In_Canada
    @Lisa_In_Canada 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    My goodness …. The pressure to get it right every single time. I would crack at some point lol! Amazing! I love they still do it this way today. A wonderful art form, thankfully preserved.

  • @lydiarowe491
    @lydiarowe491 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    A painstaking process that has been developed over many years...
    Beautifully crafted wallpaper..
    William Morris's designs are evergreen..

  • @Marilinaa
    @Marilinaa 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Fascinating. It is so nice his work is still being made in the same way he did it. Beautiful!

  • @lizday8140
    @lizday8140 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    I can truly appreciate that sort of work and dedication. Beautiful!

  • @clairedaniell4399
    @clairedaniell4399 2 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    One word WOW.

  • @cometoyoursenses9310
    @cometoyoursenses9310 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Thank you so much!
    More Morris content please!

  • @kisnpisn4919
    @kisnpisn4919 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    fantastic. morris still is one of the greatest masters of complex repeating pattern designs

  • @miaandersen8731
    @miaandersen8731 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Ahhh thank you! My favourite pattern from my favourite pattern maker! This was such a treat to wake up to down here in Australia. Thank you V&A!

  • @welsthe3rd
    @welsthe3rd 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Beautiful work from one of the 1st industrialists and also one of the 1st anti-industrialist. Amazing work & history ❤️

  • @monkeygraborange
    @monkeygraborange 2 ปีที่แล้ว +86

    Fun fact: The majority of Morris’s wallpapers are in the greenish range, which was achieved by the use of arsenic. Morris’s family made their fortune in the arsenic business.

    • @hadynwills3677
      @hadynwills3677 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      I have bits of Victorian green wallpaper hanging around after hundred and thirty years well aware of arsenic contents Pretty green.

    • @theadultpantry7219
      @theadultpantry7219 2 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      Gives the saying 'suffer for beauty' a whole new meaning.

    • @ArtistJoshuaWeigand
      @ArtistJoshuaWeigand 2 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      As beautiful as this is, I do not feel tempted to eat the wallpaper

    • @Gun5hip
      @Gun5hip 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@ArtistJoshuaWeigand These would make lovely cake designs tho.

    • @leftyfourguns
      @leftyfourguns 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Pretty much every non-earthy color back in the day was toxic and/or deadly lol

  • @debbycoley
    @debbycoley 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Breathtaking work of art.

  • @ptaylor4923
    @ptaylor4923 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Oh that's just friggin' cool. As a watercolor painter I love this and want it for my home.

  • @heard3879
    @heard3879 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Wow, I can't even imagine how expensive this wallpaper must be. Exquisite!

  • @melaniegardner8766
    @melaniegardner8766 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    The artist and his art lives on. Exquisite!

  • @TarnishedTreasures1
    @TarnishedTreasures1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Stunning!

  • @CarolynFahm
    @CarolynFahm 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    The craft behind the art. Thank-you for this.

  • @sarahwig1
    @sarahwig1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Beautiful!

  • @Delilah.Elizabeth
    @Delilah.Elizabeth ปีที่แล้ว

    Beautiful! Loved the accompanying music as well! ❤

  • @Lisatheecologist
    @Lisatheecologist 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Oh wow. Piecework magazine just had an article about May Morris, the daughter of William Morris.

  • @yourkingdomcomeyourwillbedone
    @yourkingdomcomeyourwillbedone 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    A beautiful craft ❤️ really enjoyed the background music too

  • @stelleldir
    @stelleldir 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    That is so amazing! I love repeating patterns and this is my first time seeing the process of block printing like that. In love!

  • @suzettecalleja3122
    @suzettecalleja3122 2 ปีที่แล้ว +34

    No wonder it's so expensive. It's a Japanese technique. It's stunning, so beautiful.

    • @lukerabin5079
      @lukerabin5079 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Ukyo-e uses woodblock stencils as well. Europe has used the same idea for hundreds of years, too, based on the contents of museums I’ve seen.

    • @pyewackett5
      @pyewackett5 2 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      Everything Morris created was labour intensive which made his products very expensive. The fact never sat well with him. He was forever 'ministering to the swineish luxuries of the rich'. He built his own loom following directions out of an 18th century French manual. He moved his workshop to the river Wandle because the water was soft & improved his dyeing processes. He'd turn up to meetings with his arms dyed blue. He taught himself Icelandic in order to translate their chronicles into English. The man was an absolute marvel. My hero !

    • @lukerabin5079
      @lukerabin5079 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@pyewackett5 I just love his design based work…I had no idea he was such a diverse talent!

    • @pyewackett5
      @pyewackett5 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@lukerabin5079
      He was a poet & printer creating his own books. Also a revolutionary socialist. That snippet of information generally shocks people .

    • @markmiller3279
      @markmiller3279 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      China had it before Japan, and in time it became a worldwide method for printing.

  • @e.jenima7263
    @e.jenima7263 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Now i know why morris wallpapper is so expenisive!

  • @fatoomgierdien2181
    @fatoomgierdien2181 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Phenomenal artwork.
    Thank you

  • @martinsdontjump
    @martinsdontjump 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wow. What an amazing result

  • @user-wb8vi5tl1v
    @user-wb8vi5tl1v 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Magnifico!!!

  • @amadine770
    @amadine770 ปีที่แล้ว

    Getting the registration right is another aspect altogether besides recreating the colours-they deserve the price tag.

  • @MariaReyes-te7lk
    @MariaReyes-te7lk ปีที่แล้ว

    It's beautiful!

  • @t.b.1596
    @t.b.1596 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    What a beautiful masterpiece!

  • @LuliLulu
    @LuliLulu 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Beautiful craftsmanship 😍 it must be nerve racking to try and match the original colours

  • @LambentOrt
    @LambentOrt 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    That's such an amazingly tedious process. God what I would give to see it in person.

  • @greek_marbles394
    @greek_marbles394 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Willam Morris, the Craftsman

  • @xo0Adriana0ox
    @xo0Adriana0ox 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    This is mindblowing!!!!

  • @gailbolton4891
    @gailbolton4891 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Many thanks for sharing this.

  • @marcioferreira5075
    @marcioferreira5075 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Simplesmente fantástico 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

  • @DeliaLee8
    @DeliaLee8 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wonderful!

  • @moragmcmillan5323
    @moragmcmillan5323 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Magnificent

  • @donaldauguston9740
    @donaldauguston9740 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you for uploading. This was quite interesting. Take care, DA

  • @gigliolaterenna3770
    @gigliolaterenna3770 ปีที่แล้ว

    Meraviglioso, una grande eredità culturale. Grazie per questo bellissimo video.

  • @victoriamilonas1942
    @victoriamilonas1942 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Imagine fun fact and arsenic in the same sentence! That's the beauty of commentary. My takeaway was the mushiness of the stamp pad was made clear. Otherwise the 'ink' could not cover as well.

  • @zoro6318
    @zoro6318 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    c'est trop beau ! ❤❤❤

  • @mellow5123
    @mellow5123 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Love this.

  • @julianachandler2975
    @julianachandler2975 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Amazing

  • @thomas.peru.
    @thomas.peru. 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    que belleza, me encanta el art and craft

  • @campbellmorrison8540
    @campbellmorrison8540 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    No wonder that paper is expensive! Imagine making the blocks

  • @jacquevanlopeznoroff8827
    @jacquevanlopeznoroff8827 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wow! Exhausting!

  • @jadedrealist
    @jadedrealist 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Now I know what it's so expensive. It is so beautiful.

  • @alena.709
    @alena.709 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Danke schön!

  • @chuckandmax7313
    @chuckandmax7313 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wow that’s really amazing, I love William Morris designs, now I know why the wallpaper is so expensive.

  • @MoPoppins
    @MoPoppins 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    This actually seems like something a computer would do well, lowering the price point drastically. That said, there’s something extra magical and soulful to doing everything by hand, but if the final product won’t suffer in the process of automation, then it’s certainly an exciting option to consider.

  • @Eyagsf
    @Eyagsf 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    OMG … the patience 🙉

  • @philipk917
    @philipk917 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    fascinating and beautiful!

  • @cherylb6755
    @cherylb6755 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    As interesting and informative as this was - and it was, the comment section is as well. Thank you all!

  • @andrewgillis3073
    @andrewgillis3073 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I’ve always been a fan of William Morris, the Craftsmen artist and art nouveau. All of which are labor intensive. Unfortunately my budget is more Eastlake…

    • @markmiller3279
      @markmiller3279 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Nothing wrong with Eastlake, though I'd take Morris first, too.

    • @andrewgillis3073
      @andrewgillis3073 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@markmiller3279 I’ve always felt Eastlake was the IKEA Of it’s time, but better made. All of the really good furniture in my family (none of which I got), has been in the family for several generations. We, in this age, forget that when people in the past bought furniture and art, they expected it to stay in the family for generations. So spending ten to twenty grand (pounds or dollars), was a good investment. Here in Southern California we have some great examples of Arts and Crafts, but most people aren’t willing to pay for that sort of workmanship.
      Museums like the Met and the V and A allow people to see stuff they aren’t going to see in a normal furniture store. My hats off to you!

  • @caramella1181
    @caramella1181 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wowowow 😍

  • @firouz4296
    @firouz4296 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This must be one of the most emotional and beautiful videos on TH-cam!
    It literally makes me cry.
    I am thinking about how it must feel to be able to afford this paper.
    I am thankful for what I have
    but if I had the money to buy this paper,
    I surely would have enough money to support people
    that don't have that wealth and need support.

  • @forpspeakingclass4444
    @forpspeakingclass4444 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This prob isnt considered asmr but its what I prefer

  • @anonymousonlineuser6543
    @anonymousonlineuser6543 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    This wallpaper should cost millions. Such a labour intensive process.

  • @ginamariakleinmartin6503
    @ginamariakleinmartin6503 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    oh my!

  • @ck7642
    @ck7642 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    whoah!

  • @esotericexplorersmartinez493
    @esotericexplorersmartinez493 ปีที่แล้ว

    ❤❤❤❤love ❤

  • @connissia
    @connissia 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I absolutely appreciate the talent and dedication to this craft! My problem with things like this is that only a small elite wealthy portion of the population can afford these products.

    • @monkeygraborange
      @monkeygraborange 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Generally speaking, those on the lower end of the economic scale aren’t exactly pining for William Morris wallpapers.

    • @dennismitchell5276
      @dennismitchell5276 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@monkeygraborangethe food and shelter thing does get in the way. Working two jobs. Going to work sick just so you can pay the rent. Just low class folk ignorant of the finer things.

  • @somewhereupthere785
    @somewhereupthere785 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    It's the design that you want. Not the tedious labor. Haven't they figured out a modern way to use the block painting?

  • @Tulpashka
    @Tulpashka 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    👏👏👏👏👏

  • @arunaniermann2003
    @arunaniermann2003 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Are these available for sale somewhere?

  • @rupert5390
    @rupert5390 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Please knock outa 100 rolls for me I’m doing the kids rumpus room and the TV room - sorry couldn’t help that - magnificent work of the printer but more importantly the wood blockcutter/ carver - the unsung hero of the process.

  • @AmaratMamu
    @AmaratMamu 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Oh!

  • @shortclips4267
    @shortclips4267 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Anyone knows the music ?

  • @bookofdust
    @bookofdust 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Was the paper vintage or made to vintage standards, it looked very period as well?

  • @joycemckeown789
    @joycemckeown789 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have a very old roll of wallpaper how do I find out how old it is .

    • @vamuseum
      @vamuseum  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      You can find out more about the wallpaper in Explore the Collections: collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78222/acanthus-wallpaper-morris-william/

  • @allanpennington
    @allanpennington 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    You wouldn't want just any wall paper hanger putting this on your walls!

  • @flamencoprof
    @flamencoprof 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    It's amazing that even though this is a kind of mechanisation of a handcraft, I would guess the product would still have been VERY expensive. Think of four weeks' pay of any worker today for a roll of wallpaper. Beautiful nevertheless.

  • @lindapoulton2982
    @lindapoulton2982 ปีที่แล้ว

    I'm please William Morris eventually substituted the arsenic used in green dyes.

  • @dustinroemer5180
    @dustinroemer5180 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    House flippers: eww, wallpaper [proceeds to tear it off, paint the wall white, and put up a "live, laugh, love" sign]

  • @tipakongphan3250
    @tipakongphan3250 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    👍🤩🌏🌍🌎

  • @williamwoody7607
    @williamwoody7607 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wonderful video. But tell me about the music. Appropriate and beautiful.

  • @romikim4548
    @romikim4548 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    윌리엄 모리스 블록 프린팅

  • @Thekidfromcalifornia2.0
    @Thekidfromcalifornia2.0 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Ps the women in his life were badasses. Their embroidery work so amazing.

  • @uusha357
    @uusha357 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Hello i want to ask u

  • @pedrolopes3542
    @pedrolopes3542 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    A pressroll would make this in less than 30 seconds.

  • @preacherman9018
    @preacherman9018 ปีที่แล้ว

    My house was built right after the civil war.
    It had layers of wallpaper over the board walls.
    I really wish I took pictures of it as I stripped it.
    The way I described it was a beautiful Paisley leaf pattern that looked like it was a stamped print. I wish it were possible to preserve it at the time, but the layers of glued paper would not allow it. It was truly a fine work of art. I was astonished at how it was designed like that so long ago. Now I know that it was likely applied in the 1800s over lumber cut from the woods surrounding the house on land granted by President Lincoln for service in the Civil War. Below is a link to an unrelated video that I hope reveals the infinite kindness of the Lord to anyone who has a few minutes.
    th-cam.com/video/qv0rnnUdk-I/w-d-xo.html

  • @hetedeleambacht6608
    @hetedeleambacht6608 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    pff.. insane... i get the impression even in his time this particular design wasnt sold very often.....beautiful, but it has to fit just right in an interior due to the bold and big pattern,,,,must ve been expensive even then

  • @babyfefe999
    @babyfefe999 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Everyone says it's expensive but they don't say how much it is

    • @Kim_Miller
      @Kim_Miller 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      You can buy it here, but it will be modern print methods, not the wood blocks.
      www.wallpaperdirect.com/collections/morris/william-morris/79

  • @gabrielnicopilario8010
    @gabrielnicopilario8010 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    All fun and games till you discovered it has arsenic

  • @somewhereupthere785
    @somewhereupthere785 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    It's a beautiful design too bad no one can afford HAND PRESSED wallpaper...

  • @ivanolsen7966
    @ivanolsen7966 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    how many people died at William Morris' hands

  • @StrawB0ss
    @StrawB0ss 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Fucking hell.

  • @pgmreallaw
    @pgmreallaw 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I would hope that such master crafts are only used in homes worthy of the art and not the shite "houses" produced en mass today!

  • @dianaberg4335
    @dianaberg4335 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    ......und Diejenigen, die sich die Tapete leisten können, können (meist) nicht das Handwerk und die Arbeit dahinter begreifen.

  • @petalparker5
    @petalparker5 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    No wonder wallpaper so damn expersive.