'SUSI' ARABESQUE - A traditionally Hand Block printed wallpaper.
The latest addition to the JET Collection of Fabrics and Wallpapers
Trials for a fabric using this design are underway
The inspiration for this timeless classical Rococo design comes from an inherited and nearly complete repeat salvaged from what what we think is an 18th century wallpaper, hung for many years in a frame as a thing of beauty in Susanna’s parents drawing room. The magic of its detail and design has always demanded to be brought back to life and extended to provide for our contemporary walls a wonderful wallpaper as originally intended. The last few months have provided the opportunity to spend the many hours of drawing, tracing and painting needed to recreate the missing sections and to select colours.
Like all Arabesques this design achieves its beauty from a not always structurally logical intertwining of delicate tracery, figures and motifs. The rococo design is overflowing with finely detailed symbolism. Ho ho birds occur frequently within 18th century decoration. These mysterious phoenix like creatures, with a long beak and curving neck, flowing tail, claws and crest take on many other names, including hoo, foo, ho-wo, hobo, howo, ho and sacred river!
The classical lyre of Apollo and Hermes symbolises wisdom, beauty and moderation. With the delicate butterflies come thoughts of resurrection and renewal and ears of corn and opulent abundance of flowers spilling from a classical urn refer to unity, prosperity and the glories of nature.
We are so lucky to have had the skilled support of a UK based Hand Block printing workshop using their traditional skills to bring the subtlety of this design to life with the use of only 2 separate colour carved block prints over a ground colour. The painstaking process necessary to commission the carved blocks has only deepened our respect for the extraordinary artistry, skill and craftsmanship involved in the original design.
The Arabesque is produced as a standard 53cm wide 10m long roll of wallpaper and the glory of the 1.3 metre Arabesque design repeat will work whether hung in horizontal or half repeat either full height or above dado.
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