In reaction to the hyper-realistic three-dimensional designs popular in the nineteenth century, Morris & Co. produced patterns from multiple layers of flat, abstracted shapes. The green leaves in the foreground of this design rest on large white flowers, which in turn covers a layer of smaller white flowers against a dark blue background. Avon may have been one of John Henry Dearle’s first designs for printed cotton. He went on to become Morris & Co.’s chief designer. The pattern was produced as a printed cotton in blue (number 6737) and green (number 6562) colourways. In the finished fabric the background foliage was changed to ochre.
