"Violet and Columbine" Reclining Chair

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

Designerdesigned by Philip Webb (British, 1831 - 1915)

Collections

British Decorative Art Highlights

ClassificationsDECORATIVE ARTS

Dateca. 1880

Mediumebonised wood

Dimensions38 x 26 x 31 in. (96.5 x 66 x 78.7 cm.)

DescriptionA rare Morris and Company reclining chair designed by Philip Webb with original Morris and Company woven Jacquard double-cloth upholstery, "Violet and Columbine," designed by William Morris.

Credit LineThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.

Status

On view

Label TextThis model of reclining chair was continuously manufactured by Morris & Company from the 1870s until the firm closed in 1940. It was designed by Phillip Webb, the architect who worked with William Morris on the design for Morris's own home, Red House, in southeast London, and later became one of the partners in Morris's firm, contributing designs for a number of the firm's furnishings and decorative pieces. This example features fabric in Morris's "Violet and Columbine" pattern, a design he registered in 1883. Intended for use in furniture, it depicts lively bursts of colorful violet and columbine flowers across the surface.

Object number2005.2