Wallpaper (ca.1890) by atributted to Silver Studio CollectionDesign Museum of Barcelona
Wallpaper is an interior decoration material that was widely used during the Modernisme period. Then, at the end of the 19th century, improved manufacturing procedures reduced costs, making it more affordable and accessible to a wider audience.
The Iris and Narcissus (ca. 1905)Design Museum of Barcelona
In Catalonia, the popularity of this style meant that Spanish-manufactured papers – especially those from Barcelona – coexisted with European designs. Join us to learn about some of the examples we keep in the museum collection.
France, ca. 1900
This sumptuous example featuring floral Art Nouveau motifs, in relief and printed in nine subtle pastel tones, was manufactured by the French firm J. Grantil. It has an embossed cardboard base and the relief was created using hot moulds, which made it an expensive product.
France, 1899
This wallpaper reflects the Orientalist aesthetic and taste for exoticism that swept across Europe in the late nineteenth century, which many Modernista interiors embraced. A bird perches on flowering reeds, their shadows deliberately creating a sense of depth.
United Kingdom, ca. 1890
This wallpaper is an eight-colour frieze attributed to the British firm Silver Studio Collection. It is an exemple that shows the exuberance of Art Nouveau: a celebration of sinuous curves, suggestive colour combinations and a fantastical composition of imaginary flowers.
United Kingdom, 1855-1899
Modernista wallpaper often featured everyday themes and scenes, such as this fox hunt—a motif typical in the United Kingdom, where this model was produced. It consists of two friezes which create a sequence ideal for rural interiors when placed separately.
United Kingdom, ca. 1910
This wallpaper evokes the English countryside with a typical landscape featuring a small village surrounded by meadows and a stream. Its distinctive feature is that it consists of three identical friezes which could decorate a room at a lower cost, once they were cut out.
United Kingdom, 1885-1899
This stencil wallpaper was designed to be easily cut out and applied to the wall as a decorative feature. For that reason, only the area meant to be cut out was printed in colour. It worked like an early adhesive or sticker – users just had to paste it and stick it to the wall.
"The Iris and Narcissus" United Kingdom, ca. 1905
Some wallpapers were given titles when they appeared in commercial catalogues. This one, ‘The Iris and Narcissus’, depicts blooming irises, while narcissuses or daffodils rise from the ground. In the background, meadows evoke their cultivation and use in gardening.
Barcelona, 1880-1899
This wide frieze, manufactured in Barcelona, is printed in twelve colours and evokes a romantic scene: at the top of a hill, ruins are framed amongst wild vegetation, while several sail boats can be seen on the water.
France, 1899
During the Modernista period, wallpapers were created whose refined style echoed earlier types of wall coverings. This French example is made of embossed cardboard and printed in eight colours to simulate a gold guadamassil, reminiscent of embossed Cordovan leatherwork.
"Forget-me-not blue" New York, 1898
This wallpaper evokes the colour of the Myosotis flower, commonly known as the ‘forget-me-not’. Manufactured by Campbell of New York, it was commissioned by Ida McKinley, wife of the US president, to decorate her Ohio residence.
Wallpaper (1880-1900)Design Museum of Barcelona
Many interiors were decorated with Modernista wallpaper before other styles emerged, such as Art Deco and, later, Pop. If you’re interested in discovering some of the examples kept in the Museu del Disseny’s collection, you can explore our reportages.
Organization
Museu del Disseny - DHub
Texts
Rossend Casanova
Original idea
Printed Papers. Study Gallery, 2010
Museu de les Arts Decoratives and Gabinet de les Arts Gràfiques de Barcelona
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.