Strawberry Thief: Printed Fabric

“Strawberry Thief” is a wallpaper pattern designed by William Morris in 1883. The design features thrushes that Morris found stealing fruit in his kitchen garden of his countryside home, Kelmscott Manor, in Oxfordshire. The pattern was color printed from woodblocks on paper. The back of the wallpaper is inscribed in ink with the title, number, and price. The pattern features the signature elements of William Morris’s wallpaper designs, with delicate flowers interspersed with winding leaves and branches. It is housed in several major art galleries and museums, including the V&A in London and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

William Morris (1834-1896) was a British artist, designer, writer, and social activist who was also a multifaceted figure known for his contributions to various fields, including textile design, wallpaper, furniture, stained glass, and book arts. Morris was passionate about reviving traditional craftsmanship and rejected the mass-produced, industrialized goods of the Victorian era. He advocated for the creation of handcrafted, beautifully designed objects that combined functionality with aesthetic appeal. His firm, Morris & Co., became renowned for producing high-quality, handcrafted decorative arts and furnishings. Beyond his contributions to design, Morris was a prolific writer and poet.