LATE 19TH CENTURY WALLPAPERS

by Samuel J. Dornsife ASID, FRSA

esign based on "natural" leaf, Dflower and branch motifs that so dominated the 1851 Exhibition was a long time dying out despite concentrated criticism from every side. Wallpapers were never more elaborate than in the 1850s. Zuber's El Dorado had been first printed in 1848. Both Jardin D'Armide and Jardin D'Hiver were of the early 1850s. Each took thousands of wood blocks to print a repeat of the design. The then current technical ability and cheap labor combined to make it possible to print such elaborate designs at a marketable price for the well-to-do. Most of the later "scenic" types of wallpapers, such as El Dorado and Isola Bella, were originally shown in brochures of the day in an arrangement that separated scenes or portions of scenes with pilasters or other printed, simulated mouldings or panels. There Such gilt designs ana damask - William Morris produced his first were printed cornices and dados to patterns were occasionally used wallpaper, "Trellis"; in 1861. This was complete the "panel" arrangement. without the simulated paneling the first of a series of designs that were These panel components were arrangement. But all sidewall papers to retain their popularity until today. popular all over the world until at least were accompanied at least by frieze and Few were out of print when Morris & 1870. Examples in Australia, Europe base borders. Co. voluntarily went out of business and America have survived. The panel From the beginning of the 19th just before World War 11. Many are still filling changed over the years. Early an Century through 1890, the most available, both in the original amoire done on a polished ground popular wallpaper for halls and hand-blocked form and in a ("candy-box" paper) or a Baroque or staircases was a marble or granite scaled-down, machine-printed Rococo damask pattern might be used pattern. These were printed to simulate version. if the more elaborate floral or landscape every variety of stone. Those printed Charles Locke Eastlake had filler was not desired. Later, this type of with unending veins frequently were recommended (Hints on Household damask pattern changed in a design cut into blocks with their size tailored Taste-1868 and later) that no wall be flatter in appearance. Plain matte in proportion to the wall areas to be covered with the same design from grounds in powder blue, pearl gray, or covered. They were then hung on the baseboard to cornice. By 1875, ivory were sometimes used for fill wall, block by block, just as a masonry wallpapers consisting of frieze, fill, (these would resemble a painted wall), wall would be constructed. Elaborate dado and dado border en suite were and sometimes this plain gtound might marble panels and inlays were available; and, by 1880, some dados have a brilliant gilt ornament spaced frequently cut out of these papers for were to be had with the design arranged on it. vestibule walls. to suit the rake of a stair. 48 popularity beginning in the 1880s. Japanese embossed leather papers contributed to this as part of the overall attention to things "oriental," but another major factor was Frederick Walton's Lincrusta Walton. ("Lin" from linseed oil, "Crusta" to indicate relief and "Walton" from the inventor.) Lincrusta Walton was a practically indestructible bas-relief wall surface that, after installation, was capable of any sort of custom superimposed decoration from all-over gilding and subsequent glazing to just plain stain and varnish or paint. Lincrusta Walton was so popular that it was manufactured in America under license to avoid shipping and customs costs from abroad.

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Photographs Photo 1 The Dado to Jardin D'Armide. Photo 2 A wallpaper advertisementc. 1850. Photo 3 A geometric of 1866. Photo 4 A more simple "panel" arrangement over simulated damask. Photo 5,6,7 and 8 Morris patterns: chrysanthemum, net ceiling, pomegranite and vine. Photo 9 A "scenic" with printed paneling as exhibited at the New York Crystal Palace in 1853. Dado papers were immensely attendants. Photo 10 popular into the 1890s, but they were Designs based on what actually Three wallpapers of the late 1870s. never quite so popular for drawing were or were supposed to be Japanese Photo 10a rooms as for libraries, dining rooms and influences became very popular A similar paper showing "Rake" or hallways. Dados were so popular that a beginning in the 18 70s. Fans were dado on stair-1880. ditty was written to be sung to the tune everywhere from carpet to frieze and if Photo I 1and 12 of Foster's Camptown Races with one could not afford or did not desire Two patterns of Lincrusta. Walton "Da-Do, Da-Do" taking the place of such a frieze, grass or fibre fans could be 1885. "Doo-Dah, Doo- Dah. " arranged artistically against plain paint An all-paper design that or wallpaper above the picture Photo 13 Whiplash Art Nouveau c. 1900. incorporated this frieze-fill-dado moulding. principle took prizes at the Centenniel This was the age of the name Photo 14 Exhibition in Philadelphia. This was designer's involvement in furnishing Walter Crane's Margare te Suite. Walter Crane's Margarete Suite with items. In addition to William Morris, Photo 15 its Alcestis frieze, Margarete filler and Owen Jones, Walter Crane, Lewis F. One quarter of a common sort of ceiling Dove and Lily Dado. The Margarete Day, C.F.A. Voysey, and others were arrangement of wallpaper for the early fill design was of conventionalized designing wallpapers and carpets, book 1880s utilizing three'fill papers and a Margaretes or daisies on a light blue or bindings, book illustrations, decorative multitude of borders. fawn ground. Six Caryatids in classical tiles, and even houses (in the case of Photo 16 dress compose the frieze and represent the architects). A Rococo revival design of the late the idealized housewife with five Designs in light relief attained great 1890s. _--_> ------_------

9 Another very popular relief medium-dark with the earlier The "whiplash" of Art Nouveau was decoration was Tynecastle tapes try, brilliances slightly subdued. Gilt at its peak of popularity around 1900, created with canvas. Still others had highlights retained their popularity. but the more straight-lined Scottish (or more exotic names: Subercorium, As the 1870s advanced, the palette arts and crafts) variety was to retain its Calcorian, Muromorna, Cordelova, became muddied: greens, blues and popularity into World War I. Analgypta, Lignomur, Corticine, reds acquired a brownish cast. These "Ingrain" or "Oatmeal" wallpapers Cameoid, and so forth. darker colors, frequently heightened (wood fibers were impregnated into the Coloring in the 1850s was with gilt, remained popular through pulp to make a textured surface) began frequently light; whites, off-whites and the 1880s. Late in the century, pastels to be used in the 1880s. Originally, grays with perhaps a light touch of gilt began to show up more and more. Gilt, they were used as a ground for printing, were used with brilliantly colored however, was so popular late in the but gradually this sort of wallpaper was borders. A particularly brilliant shade 19th Century that almost every pattern used more and more in the plain, of royal blue can almost invariably be was printed in an all "gilt" colorway. unprinted version but with elaborate dated to this period. The 1890s saw another surge of the gilt-encrusted or cut-out borders. This Coal tar dyes affected wallpaper Rococo revival-an attenuated stage wallpaper fashion also survived well colors as they did everything else, but this time-along with the into World War I. by the mid-1860s, color generally was development of Art Nouveau. 50

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