Strawberry Thief
William Morris (Produced by Morris & Co., London (English, 1875–1940); Merton Abbey, London (English, 1881–1940))
Design 1883, made 1883–1917
- Medium
- Cotton; plain weave, block printed, wool trim with tassels
- Classification
- Textile
- Dimensions
- 283 × 106 cm (111 1/2 × 41 3/4 in.); Repeat: 50.9 × 46 cm (20 × 18 1/8 in.)
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago, Textiles
- Credit line
- Purchased with funds provided by John H. Bryan, Hope McCormick, and Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation; and the Textile Society
- Rights
- Public domain (CC0), as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Little Ones profiles and older: it shows gentle subjects for the very young. How works are placed
View at the Art Institute of Chicago
About this work
Islamic textiles informed the design of this 19th-century printed curtain. William Morris, a key figure in the British Arts and Crafts Movement, reportedly fashioned this pattern after watching birds steal strawberries from his kitchen garden. The flattened profile of the birds as well as the stylization of the plant forms highlight Morris's appreciation and adaptation of Islamic designs.
These small birds invading a strawberry patch have charmed consumers for more than 120 years, making Strawberry Thief one of the most recognizable and popular Morris & Co. patterns. It can be seen on wallpaper as well as dishtowels, shower curtains, and tea cups, and it even has its own Wikipedia page and spinoff video game.
Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0
