Grand Piano in the context of the Ionides collection of paintings by Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt ARA (1833-1898). Oak, stained and decorated with gold and silver gesso. Decorated by Kate Faulkner. Manufactured by John Broadwod & Sons. Collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London [acquisition no. W.23-1927. Given by Mrs. A. C. Ionides].
According to the V&A label, "Burne-Jones based the design on the case and stand of a harpsichord. His piano formed part of the lavish refurbishment of 1 Holland Park commissioned by Alexander Ionides, brother of C. A. Ionides. The house was decorated by Morris & Co., the firm established by William Morris, and became a showpiece of advanced artistic taste." Another label points out that the paintigs in the room are double-hung as they were in the Ionides home, and one assumes that the wall color behind them is close to the orginal, though it is not clear that the paintings are hung in the same order as they were.
Related Material and Other Views
Bibliography
Morris and Company. London: The Fine Art Society, 1979. No. 26.
Last modified 5 June 2020