The ‘Acanthus and Vine’ Tapestry

Designed and worked by William Morris in 1879, this represents Morris’s first foray into tapestry production and was the piece with which he taught himself how to weave this type of French ‘Verdure’ tapestry. He had the loom installed in his bedroom at Kelmscott House and worked at the tapestry between May and September 1879, keeping a detailed record of how long it took him to complete – apparently 516 hours. Depicting birds and swirling acanthus leaves, Morris also referred to this tapestry as ‘Cabbage and Vine’.