Love Leaves (1800) ~ Pink

Love Leaves (1800)  ~  William Kilburn

Rose Pink | Saffron

A love letter to repetition in nature, this design by William Kilburn dates from 1800. The watercolour, small in scale, was found in a sketchbook by descendent Gabriel Sempill and is a departure from the chintz Kilburn was more widely recognised for.

As with nature’s certainties, Love Leaves grounds us in the knowledge that the seasons will spring again, the sun will shine another day, the leaves will shoot once more. Its surface-printed technique mimics the patterns of nature – each season the same, each impression slightly different. The technique also recalls the traditional woodblocks that would have been used in 1800, and surface printing gives the wallpaper an organic, tactile finish with a handcrafted feel.

The repeat for Love Leaves was created by Sholto Drumlanrig for Simon Lawrence’s publication, Mr Kilburn’s Calicos.

Samples are A4 size and measure 21 x 30 cm. They come folded in half.

Photographs by Giulietta Verdon-Roe