Adelphi Paper
Hangings was
commissioned to reproduce this pattern for the main parlor at
Montpelier, the historic home of President James
Madison.
The version
printed for Montpelier is flocked, since it is believed that
a flocked paper was originally hung in the restored room ( the original
Montpelier paper has not been identified). The version
offered here is not flocked but reproduces the original colors of the
archive document, which is from the
Adelphi archive, originally found in a trunk in Richmond,
Virginia. Beyond that, it is difficult to determine
its
origin.
While altering
historic patterns is
not Adelphi's customary approach when reproducing historic wallpapers,
it
was very much a tradition among early wallpaper manufacturers.
Our research
has identified a very
similar flocked wallpaper in England installed at Temple
Newsam,
near Leeds, in the mid-18thcentury. Another
flocked
version was used in 1825 at Lydiard Park, near Wiltshire. Both of these
patterns were
designed in such a way that the pattern could be hung as a straight
match or a half drop. Slightly later, in the 19th
century,
the French company Zuber modified the pattern further to
produce
a non-flocked interpretation on a vibrant irisé ground.
With the
exuberant splays of stylized
pomegranates and plant structure it is understandable why this stunning
pattern
has continued to be well received in all of its
versions.
Repeat 21 1/4 inches
Width 20 5/8 inches
Half-drop Match
The historic colorway image above shows two widths of the
pattern installed. Alternate colorway images show one
complete width of the pattern.
