Watts 1874 x Castle Howard

Hidden deep within the archives of Castle Howard is a remarkable group of textiles and wallpapers. These were part of an ambitious project by Rosalind, 9th Countess to redecorate the house in the last decades of the 19th century. Numerous bolts of fabric and rolls of wallpapers were carefully stored, protected from the ravages of light damage, and so offer a unique glimpse into the vibrant colours and bold designs fashionable at that time. Watts 1874 was given the privilege of developing and cherishing this special collection with the custodians of Castle Howard for the 21st century redecoration of the stately home.

Wall upholstery Cassius Amber Gold Silk Brocatelle East Wing The Lake Sitting Room

Fauteuil upholstery Versailles Emerald Cut Velvet

East Wing The Lake Sitting Room

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Aurea Indienne Rose Madder Linen

Originally documented as an Indienne Tree of Life fabric border with large stylised flowers on a meandering branch offset by the typical vermicilli backprint, probably purchased by Rosalind 9th Countess. Redrawn by Watts 1874 to create a continuous, decorative wide floral indienne stripe.

East Wing Little Sitting Room

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Howard Indienne Victoria Linen

This exuberant Tree of Life linen was chosen by interior designer Remy Renzullo for both window and bed drapery in the Admiral’s Bedroom. The centre piece is a soaring 18th century ‘lit à la polonaise’. The drapery is topped with an elaborate crown-like dome, which is connected to the four corner poles of the bed frame which are usually curved.

Passementerie Admiral Tieback, Admiral Triple Twist Bullion, leading edge to drapery San Remo Tassel Fringe

Admiral’s Bedroom

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Wallpaper Goose Blue (right), Goose Mustard, Goose Aperol Non Woven Paper

This is an iconic design heavily influenced by the Japanese Chinese export idea prevalent in the nineteenth century. The original Japanese tissue paper is made up of individual panels c.70cm x 59cm, with a pattern of black geese flying amongst white lilies and pink, yellow and purple flowers with trailing foliage on a blue ground. The paper is listed in situ in the Goose Room and Archbishop’s Bedroom in the 1905 Furnishing Book (H2/6/6, p. 36), “27 pieces blue stork paper’ purchased from Maple & Co. in 1884 (J23/105/16, p. 125) for a total cost of £14-3-6.

East Wing Hall, with a c.17th cent. Neapolitan Table Cabinet

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Wallpaper Temple Toile

Document a toile de jouy wallpaper, block printed in a vivid cerise pink. The Temple Toile is characteristic of the oriental narrative motifs specific to chinoiseries printed in monochrome. Each scene is delineated by a rocky base, a device that gives the design as a whole the appearance of floating on air. Romantic and whimsical the Temple Toile has been created in six different colours, reminiscent of the palette of the 17th century printed and painted cottons from India which first appeared in France during that period.

East Wing Dining Room

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Linen Cecilia Dormouse Pink

Cecilia a floral linen with vertical bouquets with bows, and intertwined ribbons, circa 1800. Purchased by Rosalind 9th Countess, but the linen is not listed as allocated to any particular room in the castle.

East Wing Corridor

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Wallpaper Cecilia Rosa Alba Non Woven Paper

East Wing The Little Sitting Room

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Wallpaper Aurea Indienne Coral linen

East Wing Corridor with Kempe decorated vaulted ceilings

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Wallpaper Rosalind Indienne Lords and Ladies Paper Backed Linen

The original document, a printed cotton aptly now named after Rosalind, 9th Countess, is a pretty pink coral Indienne, or more correctly a ‘mignonette’, the term used to describe an Indienne with a small and dense pattern set against a typical vermicelli back print.

East Wing Dining Room

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Wallpaper Garden House Chintz Pink Passion Non Woven Paper

An exquisitely drawn, floral pattern of joyous blooms ‘dancing’. Resembling the same foliate characteristics of an Indienne, Garden House Chintz would have been block printed in the traditional manner on to cotton. A natural progression from cloth to paper, the design has been successfully developed as a wallpaper.

East Wing Gold Library

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Fabric

Toiles peintes or ‘painted cottons’ were imported into Europe from the late 16th century in response to the considerable markets set up by the East India companies. These imported cottons or calicoes proved popular for making garments and soft furnishings. To satisfy the tastes of their western customers the trading companies lost no time in producing textiles destined exclusively for European markets, but which still remained exotic in character – a factor that was to remain key to their success. Prompted by the rarity and expense of imported Indian cottons, the manufacturing process was quickly adopted by a company in France reputedly in Marseille in 1648. So great was their success the word Indienne entered the French language.

Fabric

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Temple Toile

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Rosalind Indienne

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Howard Indienne Border

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Howard Indienne

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Garden House Chintz

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Cecilia

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Aurea Indienne

Wallpaper

"The joy of living with colour and pattern is the essence of my design philosophy and it is the inspiration for this collection of exquisite wallcoverings. Colour and pattern coupled with a sustained sense of tradition and an inexhaustible curiosity for the new are both powerful visual and emotional decorating tools."

Fiona Flint Creative Watts 1874