The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 24, 2024

Snakeshead

Snakeshead

Early 20th century
designed in imitation of

William Morris

(British, 1834–1896)
England, Walthamstow, Early 20th century
plain weave cotton, printed
Overall: 85.1 x 100.3 cm (33 1/2 x 39 1/2 in.)
Gift of Mrs. Henry Chisholm 1937.695
Location: not on view

Description

When Morris designed Snakeshead in 1877, Indian silks were in style and widely imported from British India. This design stands out for its diminutive motifs and the strong red and black colors, which were fashionable only for a short time before paler hues regained favor with clients. While its color scheme suggests distant lands with warmer climates, the pattern showcases one of Morris’s favorite flowers: the fritillary, a wildflower that he remembered growing in the meadows near Oxford.
  • Parry, Linda. William Morris Textiles. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1983. no. 18, p. 150
    Korkow, Cory. "Textiles." IN William Morris: Designing an Earthly Paradise. Cory Korkow and Victoria Hepburn, 8-23. Cleveland, Ohio : Cleveland Museum of Art, 2017. Mentioned: p. 16; reproduced:p. 17, fig. 11
  • William Morris: Designing an Earthly Paradise. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 24, 2017-January 14, 2019).
    Design in Printed Textiles. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 7-September 3, 1961).
  • {{cite web|title=Snakeshead|url=false|author=William Morris|year=Early 20th century|access-date=24 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1937.695