Fox and Grape

Designerdesigned by John Henry Dearle (British, 1860 - 1932)

Maker Morris and Company (London, British, 1861 - 1940)

Additional Title(s)

Design for Texile
Squirrel

Collections

William Morris Collection

ClassificationsDRAWINGS

Dateca. 1898

Mediumwatercolor and graphite on paper

Dimensions11 1/4 x 8 1/8 in. (28.6 x 20.6 cm.)

DescriptionRed and grey squirrels running through blue and green grape vines, with large clumps of grapes interspersed at intervals. Verso shows designs for furniture and moulding in graphite.

Credit LineThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens

Status

Not on view

Label TextDearle's design very closely resembles earlier Morris patterns incorporating birds. In both Morris's and Dearle's designs, the animals face one another at intervals along sets of interlocking ogees. Originally entitled Fox and Grape after the Aesop fable, the name was changed to Squirrel because of the indeterminate nature of the animals in this popular pattern. Once the initial design was completed, it would be enlarged onto graph paper so that punched cards could be made for the jacquard looms.

Object number2000.5.68