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Pear Hand Block
Pear Hand Block
Pear Hand Block

Pear Hand Block

Colourway:

Oh so elegant Pear, one of four original botanical wallpapers designed by Watts Founder G.F Bodley and an enduring Watts favourite. Drawn from a flock wallpaper hanging in the Queen’s drawing room at Hampton Court, the Pear was only removed when Verrio’s paintings were discovered underneath it in 1735. Redrawn more fully and expansively by Bodley in 1885, this is the king of large designs. Dangling ferns mingle with exotic foliage, massive seed pods, cape gooseberries and ripe pears in a botanical reverie. 

Now recreated as part of our 2022 collection 'The Bodley Papers,' that marries history with modernity through confident fresh colour ways and pattern rich styling. Digital and hand block production available and flick to Pear Grande and Pear Linen for more beautiful options.

Sampling on request, subject to availability.
Please submit an enquiry below.

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The Art of Hand Block

Block-printed wallpaper is a testament to artisanal craftsmanship, where master printers use hand-carved wooden blocks to create exquisite, layered designs.

Each block carries a single hue, meticulously applied in sequence to achieve depth and harmony within the pattern. The richness of the print, from ethereal watercolour washes to the opulence of oil paint, is shaped by the printer’s skill and the pigment’s viscosity. A hand-brushed ground enhances the depth of colour, while each layer is delicately dried before the next is applied.

Once complete, the wallpaper is hand-trimmed and elegantly rolled, crafted from sustainably sourced, renewable materials with minimal waste.

WATTS 1874 STUDIO

Bespoke Colouring

When our designs were first drawn for the block makers in Watts’ early years they would have been coloured specifically for each job. Today we can offer a wide range of colours but we take great care to use a palette that is true to our design roots.

We are working with Edward Bulmer whose 'Pots of Paint' range has revived the art of natural colour as it uses earth and mineral pigments to make paints of great depth and subtlety. This is also down to the use of traditional binders such as casein and plant oils which help give a velvety feel to the printed surface of our wallpapers.

Using traditional materials helps as part of today’s drive to create sustainable buildings but best of all it ensures that the printed surface avoids the plastic monotony of alkyd and acrylic paints.

"Colour is so subtle, so delicate, so strange in its ways that it seems to be beyond rules and laws"

G . F . BODLEY - First Chairman of Watts 1874

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