'Snakeshead' Fabric Design - William Morris - 1876

This ‘Snakeshead' design was designed by William Morris and printed for Morris & Co. by Thomas Wardle in 1876. It shows a repeat pattern and floral motives used in earlier medieval fabrics which greatly influenced Morris's style. He was also influenced by intimate medieval gardens or ‘herbers’, enclosed and filled with sweet-scented flowers and herbs. Morris preferred native species and those that had been in cultivation for centuries, such as lilies, larkspur, tulips, irises and hollyhocks and chose fragrant climbers including roses, honeysuckle and jasmine.

This 'Snakeshead' sample is from the V&A Textiles and Fashion Collection, T.37-1919.