William Morris Strawberry Thief Art Print
William Morris Strawberry Thief Art Print
One of the most recognisable and beloved designs in British decorative history, William Morris's Strawberry Thief has captivated admirers for over 140 years — and it looks just as extraordinary on a wall today as it did when Morris first registered the design in 1883.
The story behind the design
Morris created Strawberry Thief after watching thrushes repeatedly raiding the strawberry beds in the kitchen garden of his Oxfordshire home, Kelmscott Manor. Rather than being annoyed by the birds, he was charmed — and turned the scene into one of the most intricate and celebrated patterns of the Arts and Crafts Movement. The design features thrushes caught mid-theft amongst strawberry plants, tulips, cherry blossoms and loganberries, rendered in Morris's characteristic style of stylised natural forms with a mirror repeat composition.
To print the original textile, Morris mastered the painstaking indigo discharge process — dyeing the entire cloth in indigo, then bleaching and block printing in layers of alizarin red, weld yellow and additional blues. The process took several days and made Strawberry Thief one of Morris & Co.'s most expensive fabrics. Customers didn't hesitate. It became their most commercially successful design, and remains so to this day — held in the permanent collections of the V&A, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this print
Our Strawberry Thief art print is reproduced with exceptional fidelity to the original design, capturing the rich blues, deep greens, jewel-like reds and the intricate detail of Morris's birds and botanicals. Printed using premium giclée printing on 250gsm museum-grade, acid-free paper in our Leicestershire studio using archival eco inks — the same standard used by galleries and institutions worldwide.
Every print is made to order, with zero waste.
Print details
- Giclée printed on 250gsm museum-grade acid-free paper
- Archival eco inks — colour-fast, fade-resistant for decades
- Available in five sizes: A5, A4, A3, A2 and A1
- Unframed — arrives rolled in a protective tube, ready to frame
- Standard A-size frames fit perfectly — widely available from IKEA, Dunelm and M&S
- Printed to order in our home studio in Leicestershire
- FSC-certified paper, plastic-free packaging
How to style it
Strawberry Thief works beautifully in living rooms, hallways, bedrooms and home offices. The rich teal, indigo and red palette suits both traditional British interiors and contemporary schemes — particularly warm, botanical or Arts and Crafts inspired spaces. It pairs naturally with other William Morris designs for a gallery wall, or stands alone as a statement piece in a simple black or natural wood frame.
A popular gift for interiors lovers, history enthusiasts, Morris & Co. admirers, and anyone who appreciates the enduring craft of the Arts and Crafts Movement.