"Violet and Columbine" Reclining Chair

This model of reclining chair was continuously manufactured by Morris & Company from the 1870s until the firm closed in 1940. It was designed by Phillip Webb, the architect who worked with William Morris on the design for Morris's own home, Red House, in southeast London, and later became one of the partners in Morris's firm, contributing designs for a number of the firm's furnishings and decorative pieces. This example features fabric in Morris's "Violet and Columbine" pattern, a design he registered in 1883. Intended for use in furniture, it depicts lively bursts of colorful violet and columbine flowers across the surface.