Seaweed

John Dearle was a British textile and stained-glass designer who was trained by the artist and craftsman William Morris and who was much influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.  His exploration of an oceanic motif is, however, based upon Morris's pattern techniques and employs the familiar acanthus scrolls to give a sense of upward movement. This is the only Morris & Co. paper to make use of ocean plant life in its design. The small meandering green sprays and colored bubbles create depth by filling in the spaces between the more prominent patterns of kelp fronds. The deep blue ground enhances this effect by throwing the lighter surface pattern into relief.

Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. (1861–1875) was a furnishings and decorative arts manufacturer and retailer founded by the artist and designer William Morris with friends from the Pre-Raphaelites. With its successor Morris & Co. (1875–1940), the firm's medieval-inspired aesthetic and respect for hand-craftsmanship and traditional textile arts had a profound influence on the decoration of churches and houses into the early 20th century.

We present this paper thanks to The Huntington Library.

P.S. If you like when art meets design, read here about Wiener Werkstätte, your dream Viennese design brand. <3