This is the only repeating pattern designed by William Morris in collaboration with Edward Burne-Jones. Burne-Jones’s work record for 1875 lists his drawings of the two mermaids, which were incorporated in Morris’s design of scrolling foliage and flower-heads. Although the fabric was never woven, both Morris and Burne-Jones made use of the design for other works: the background pattern became the ‘Wreath’ wallpaper of 1876 by Morris and the mermaid figures were adapted by Burne-Jones for both gesso panels and paintings in the 1880s. This design was likely drawn by a Morris & Co. draughtsman from the original watercolour cartoon by William Morris, see WMG A32b.
