Utrecht Velvet

1871·Embossed mohair plush·71.8 × 61 cm (28 1/4 × 24 in.)

<p>This fabric fragment is a copy of 18th-century patterns that were made in the city of Utrecht, The Netherlands. Velvet-like textiles were very much in keeping with 19th-century taste for reviving historical styles and, like other Morris & Co. designs, they had a long life span. In the late 1880s this pattern was chosen for upholstery in the Glessner House. In 1912 it was used as a wall covering in a first-class bedroom called the “Dutch Suite” on the ill-fated <em>Titanic</em> ocean liner.</p>

Catalogue

Year: 1871
Medium: Embossed mohair plush
Dimensions: 71.8 × 61 cm (28 1/4 × 24 in.)
Collection: Art Institute of Chicago
Artist: William Morris

Artist

William Morris

Painting

William Morris was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditional British textile arts and methods of production. His literary contributions helped to establish the modern fantasy genre, while he campaigned for socialism in fin de siècle Great Britain.

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