Flaming Tulips

This delightful wallpaper is typical of the best of Wylie & Lochead wallpaper. It was designed in 1903 by a close friend of the Silvers - Arthur Gwatkin, and it is of stylised tulips and leaves. The colours are red, fawn, ochre on cream ground. The pattern uses stylised tulips and leaves in bright shades of red, orange and yellow, colours that were increasingly popular with British consumers in the early twentieth century. The curving ‘whiplash’ lines of the leaves are a common feature of British art nouveau designs from this period. This wallpaper was probably used to decorate a hallway. It is typical of the wallpaper sold by Wylie & Lochead, who were one of Britain’s largest furnishing and decorating firms at the turn of the century.