NOT FADE AWAY
The everlasting appeal of a vibrant palette
sumptuous embroideries, painted silks and delicate chintzes are among the 115 exquisite textiles and wallpapers selected from the V&A’S archive for inclusion in this new book. Beginning with a 15th-century cover in muted hues, it celebrates the evolution of pattern and its countless tonal mixtures through the ages. The volume culminates in the present day with a wallpaper depicting Lucian Freud’s muse Leigh Bowery, rendered in bold tones of citrus and burnt orange against a dark chocolate background. Beside each design is a colour grid that shows the relative proportions of the main shades, each labelled with its official classification number to identify it. While this is clearly a useful resource for creative types, it’s also a fascinating insight into what makes a compelling design, and how our palette returns time and again to certain combinations. catriona gray ‘Spectrum: Heritage Patterns and Colours’, with an introduction by Ros Byam Shaw (£24.95, Thames & Hudson in association with the V&A), is out now.