Wallpaper from Bandbox c. 1937

This wallpaper was made by Charlotte Angus. It's like a dream, right? A frieze of horses, soldiers, and a big old boat, like a toy floating in your bath, all painted in strokes of pink, ochre and white. I can imagine Charlotte, brush in hand, trying out this and that, figuring out how much she could get away with—how little to actually suggest a figure on horseback. I mean look at that horse rearing up—it's basically a scribble, but we know exactly what it is. The whole thing has a really cool folk art vibe, like something you’d find in an old house, or stenciled on furniture. Painting always keeps painting alive. Someone sees something, gets inspired, and it turns into something new, something weird, something like this. It shows you that art isn't about perfect representation, but the feeling you get. And that feeling is all Charlotte.