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

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/...

[@vamuseum]

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

[@casteretpollux]

Incredible precision. No wonder it's so expensive.

[@angelbaby1811]

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

[@londonhodnet4079]

Fascinating, very labour intensive, beautiful

[@curiousworld7912]

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

[@jeremyljonesjr]

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

[@FreyaOakley]

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!

[@rightweaponry908]

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.

[@liveoak4124]

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]

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

[@Inkling777]

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

[@flamencoprof]

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]

and many socilaist essays

[@kakussubrado8966]

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

[@voraciousreader3341]

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.

[@clairedaniell4399]

One word WOW.

[@lydiarowe491]

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

[@kisnpisn4919]

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

[@lizday8140]

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

[@Marilinaa]

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

[@cometoyoursenses9310]

Thank you so much! More Morris content please!

[@welsthe3rd]

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

[@Lisa_In_Canada]

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.

[@miaandersen8731]

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!

[@monkeygraborange]

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]

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

[@theadultpantry7219]

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

[@ArtistJoshuaWeigand]

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

[@Gun5hip]

@@ArtistJoshuaWeigand These would make lovely cake designs tho.

[@leftyfourguns]

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

[@debbycoley]

Breathtaking work of art.

[@heard3879]

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

[@ptaylor4923]

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

[@suzettecalleja3122]

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

[@lukerabin5079]

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]

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]

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

[@pyewackett5]

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

[@markmiller3279]

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

[@e.jenima7263]

Now i know why morris wallpapper is so expenisive!

[@melaniegardner8766]

The artist and his art lives on. Exquisite!

[@CarolynFahm]

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

[@sarahwig1]

Beautiful!

[@Lisatheecologist]

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

[@TarnishedTreasures1]

Stunning!

[@stelleldir]

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

[@護法童子]

Magnifico!!!

[@LuliLulu]

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

[@LambentOrt]

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

[@Delilah.Elizabeth]

Beautiful! Loved the accompanying music as well! ❤

[@amadine770]

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

[@yourkingdomcomeyourwillbedone]

A beautiful craft ❤️ really enjoyed the background music too

[@moragmcmillan5323]

Magnificent

[@martinsdontjump]

Wow. What an amazing result

[@t.b.1596]

What a beautiful masterpiece!

[@fatoomgierdien2181]

Phenomenal artwork. Thank you

[@jadedrealist]

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

[@victoriamilonas1942]

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.

[@chuckandmax7313]

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

[@gigliolaterenna3770]

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

[@marcioferreira5075]

Simplesmente fantástico 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@alena.709]

Danke schön!

[@campbellmorrison8540]

No wonder that paper is expensive! Imagine making the blocks

[@xo0Adriana0ox]

This is mindblowing!!!!

[@donaldauguston9740]

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

[@Eyagsf]

OMG … the patience 🙉

[@gailbolton4891]

Many thanks for sharing this.

[@zoro6318]

c'est trop beau ! ❤❤❤

[@firouz4296]

This must be one of the most emotional and beautiful videos on KZbin! 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.

[@jacquevanlopeznoroff8827]

Wow! Exhausting!

[@andrewgillis3073]

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]

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

[@andrewgillis3073]

@@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!

[@MariaReyes-te7lk]

It's beautiful!

[@MoPoppins]

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.

[@DeliaLee8]

Wonderful!

[@MellowWind]

Love this.

[@caramella1181]

Wowowow 😍

[@cherylb6755]

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

[@connissia]

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]

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

[@dennismitchell5276]

​@@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.

[@thomas.peru.]

que belleza, me encanta el art and craft

[@julianachandler2975]

Amazing

[@forpspeakingclass4444]

This prob isnt considered asmr but its what I prefer

[@philipk917]

fascinating and beautiful!

[@anonymousonlineuser6543]

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

[@ginamariakleinmartin6503]

oh my!

[@esotericexplorersmartinez493]

❤❤❤❤love ❤

[@Visha-Vishenka]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@ck7642]

whoah!

[@rupert5390]

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.

[@somewhereupthere785]

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

[@bookofdust]

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

[@curiousworld7912]

Good question. :)

[@flamencoprof]

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.

[@allanpennington]

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

[@williamwoody7607]

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

[@lindapoulton2982]

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

[@arunaniermann2003]

Are these available for sale somewhere?

[@AmaratMamu]

Oh!

[@joycemckeown789]

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

[@vamuseum]

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

[@dustinroemer5180]

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

[@shortclips4267]

Anyone knows the music ?

[@romikim4548]

윌리엄 모리스 블록 프린팅

[@Thekidfromcalifornia2.0]

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

[@tipakongphan3250]

👍🤩🌏🌍🌎

[@preacherman9018]

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. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6eTo6GkismeY6s

[@hetedeleambacht6608]

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

[@pedrolopes3542]

A pressroll would make this in less than 30 seconds.

[@uusha357]

Hello i want to ask u

[@babyfefe999]

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

[@Kim_Miller]

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]

All fun and games till you discovered it has arsenic

[@somewhereupthere785]

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

[@pgmreallaw]

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]

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

[@greenatom]

Anyone else bothered by that slight misalignment?

[@ableadelaide5893]

Wow, who knew? Nowadays they spit prints out in milliseconds that are fa more precise and cheaper by orders of magnitude. Interesting insight into a craft no longer viable.

[@ivanolsen7966]

how many people died at William Morris' hands

[@petalparker5]

No wonder wallpaper so damn expersive.