Paperblanks Morris Pink Honeysuckle Bookmark

Never lose your place again with this beautifully crafted Morris Pink Honeysuckle bookmark from Paperblanks – the perfect companion for a favourite novel or journal, and a delightful little gift.

William Morris, a celebrated practitioner of the Arts and Crafts movement, believed that any decoration is futile when it does not remind you of something beyond itself. He was keen to use natural dyes in his textile production, as can be seen in this pink and pastel version of his Honeysuckle printed cotton design.

The Story Behind the Design

William Morris (1834–1896) is one of the most renowned figures in the decorative arts. As a textile designer, he developed an original style that charmed his contemporaries and has since become a point of reference for all those interested in design and decoration. His creative approach was characterised by his pronounced views on what constitutes beauty and a firm belief in the essential value of art and handicraft. The Arts and Crafts movement, inspired by the ideals of Morris and the social theorist John Ruskin, had as much of an anti-industrial ideological component as it did an aesthetic teaching.

Studying Classics at Oxford University, Morris developed an interest in the history, social values and art of the Middle Ages. His appreciation of the medieval theme found its way into his designs, with patterns often replicating the “millefleurs” style of the 15th and 16th centuries. Characterised by an abundance of small decorative flowers and plants used to fill the background space, this style is most closely associated with the tapestry-making traditions of France and Belgium.

Morris was also an influential writer and staunch social activist and was aghast at the effect that industrialisation was having on human productivity. New methods of production eroded the value of individual skill and a sense of accomplishment that came with the process of handiwork. He perceived medieval crafts guilds to be an ideal arrangement, where everyone contributed according to their own skill, and art and creation were a lived experience for both craftsmen and consumers. When he founded an interior design business together with a few like-minded associates, it followed the guild model and relied on traditional labour-intensive methods of production.

Ultimately, Morris believed that traditional crafts ensured higher-quality products, and so he made his furnishings using traditional weaving and the old technique of hand woodblock printing. For motifs, he looked to nature as his primary source of inspiration, which for him had an added element of defiance to the corrosive Industrial Revolution.

This Morris Pink Honeysuckle design, a reproduction of one of his printed cotton patterns, reflects his abiding interest in naturalism. Morris’ fabrics, like his wallpapers, were available in different colour schemes to match his clients’ personal decorative preferences. In the past we have reproduced a honeyed brown version of this Honeysuckle design and were so pleased to discover this pink and pastel variation.

• Original artwork: William Morris printed cotton design
• Era: circa 1876
• Region: London, England

Product Details

• Dimensions: 40 × 185 × 1 mm
• Design: Morris Pink Honeysuckle
• Series: William Morris
• Double-sided design
• Decorative printed paper
• Textured printing
• Rounded edges
• Subtle Paperblanks branding
• Weight: 10 g
• Product code: PA9413-5 | ISBN: 9781439794135

About Paperblanks

Paperblanks works with museums, libraries, galleries and artists around the world to faithfully reproduce remarkable artwork, historic bindings and treasured manuscripts, bringing the same care and craftsmanship found in its celebrated journals to every accessory.