Fig & Peacock Bookmark

A peacock in full strut, tail trailing through fig leaves and curling yellow blossom — this is Fig and Peacock, a wallpaper designed by Walter Crane and block-printed by Jeffrey & Co. in the mid-1890s. Examples of the original paper are held in the V&A.

Crane was one of the central figures of the Arts and Crafts movement, a friend and ally of William Morris, and the man largely responsible for making wallpaper something worth looking at again. He started out as a children's book illustrator — thirty-seven "toy books" of fairy tales and nursery rhymes earned him the nickname "academician of the nursery" — and brought that same storytelling instinct to pattern design. Look at the peacock's expression. There's real character in it.

At 48 × 162mm, with a yellow ribbon marker that pulls out the blossom in the background, it lies flat in any book. A properly handsome small gift for anyone who loves Arts and Crafts, Morris & Co., Victorian design or a good peacock.

Come and see the full Museums & Galleries range in the shop — there's always more on the shelves than we can fit online.

Key features

• Fig and Peacock design by Walter Crane (1845–1915), from the V&A collection
• Originally a colour woodblock-printed wallpaper produced by Jeffrey & Co., c.1895–96
• Peacock, fig leaves and yellow blossom in teal, green and gold on cream
• Yellow ribbon marker
• 48mm × 162mm
• Museums & Galleries, the British art-stationery publisher behind the V&A, Tate, Natural History Museum and British Museum ranges
• Perfect for Arts and Crafts and William Morris fans, and lovers of Victorian design

FAQ

• Who was Walter Crane? A British artist, illustrator and designer (1845–1915), a leading figure in the Arts and Crafts movement alongside William Morris, and one of the most celebrated children's book illustrators of the Victorian era.
• What is Fig and Peacock? A wallpaper design by Crane, printed from woodblocks by Jeffrey & Co. in the mid-1890s. The V&A holds examples in its collection.
• What colour is the ribbon? Yellow.
• What size is the bookmark? 48mm wide by 162mm tall.
• Is it suitable as a gift? Yes — a lovely small gift on its own, and light enough to post inside a card.