About the Artwork

William Morris’s "Strawberry Thief" (1883) is perhaps the most famous and enduring pattern of the British Arts and Crafts movement. Inspired by a common sight in Morris’s own garden at Kelmscott Manor—thrushes stealing strawberries from his kitchen garden—the design captures a playful yet intricate scene of nature in motion. It was achieved through the complex indigo discharge method, a laborious hand-printing technique that Morris spent years perfecting to ensure deep, rich colors and fine detail. With its symmetrical arrangement of birds, flowers, and fruit, "Strawberry Thief" exemplifies Morris’s philosophy of bringing the beauty of the natural world into the home, and it remains a staple of interior design over a century later.

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