SOLD

JH Dearle Screen
c 1885-90

From the collection of Barbara Morris. Barbara was with the Victoria & Albert Museum in the Circulation Department. She wrote "Victorian Glass" and "Victorian Embroidery" . Sotheby's asked her to set up Fine and Decorative Art courses for them in the 1980's which she ran until she retired. She was a frequent member of the Antiques Roadshow specialists. Barbara bought the screen in the early 1980's in Brighton. She has always felt that the right hand panel was designed by May Morris. For similar see: "William Morris" edited by Linda Parry, Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition in May-September 1996 to commemorate the centenary of Morris' death. ISBN 0 85667 442 7 (Philip Wilson Publications). p 248 Embroidery section, M31 for similar screen but with one different panel. The V & A has a similar screen (Circ 848-1956) illustrated in Morris & Co's "Embroidery Work" where it is priced at ?17 10s. This screen is 5 cm higher and has a plain wooden panel at the base of each screen. Although May Morris designed most of Morris & Co's embroidery from the mid 1880's, Henry Dearle (1860-1932) also produced a number of single panels for wallhangings and screens. Dearle was Morris's assistant who became Artistic Director on Morris's death. "May was responsible for the completion of all embroideries sold by the firm and her spirited interpretation of Dearle's designs has led to confusion over design authorship. Dearle's style is quite different, often using designs centred on single meandering trees and leaves, whereas May's work is more brightly coloured and complex in detail. These panel designs, usually based on one particular plant, were very popular and occasionally the same subject is used for more than one design" states Linda Parry in above catalogue. It is not known whether these embroideries were worked in house by Morris & Co or whether some gifted amateur embroidered them and then sent them back to the firm to have them mounted in the screen, as was common practice. The same hand appears to have embroidered them all. The Embroiders' Guild at Hampton Court has a similar screen.

Cataloguing

designed by John Henry Dearle, the light mahogany screen with three different embroidered panels, the first with five poppies, some showing their stamens, and with buds, together with two types of smaller flower, in shades of coral with green and ivory on a beige pink ground, the second with Parrot Tulip design with six tulips in similar colouring but with some stronger coral and crimson, two types of small flowers on a pinky beige ground, the third with Large Horned Poppy design with cherries, in soft shades of pale blue, green and ivory on a pinky coral ground, each glazed panel 5 x 2 ft; 153 x 60 cm wide, reversible brass hinges.

Condition

Although the two side panels are slightly faded they are balanced. The central panel originally had stronger colours.