Natural Poppy

This textile was designed by the Silver Studio in 1896 and produced by the Cumbrian manufacturer Stead McAlpin in 1897. The pattern of highly stylised poppy sprays is typical of popular British Art Nouveau designs of the late nineteenth century. This fabric was originally part of a double-sided curtain used to divide the front and back areas of a drawing room. The curtain was trimmed with fashionable bobble fringing. MoDA acquired this in 2004 with the generous support of the National Art Collections fund and the MLA / V & A Purchase Grant Fund.