Green poison - the history of wallpaper in the UK

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

The stated historical facts at first glance seem strange - people massively bought poisonous wallpapers and poisoned themselves with them. But now we also breathe phenol of chipboard furniture, plastic on windows and stretch ceilings, and we are poisoned by other delights of "civilization".

Introduction

Some of you may have read the terrible story of Eduard Uspensky "Red hand, black sheet, green fingers." It was published in Pioneer magazine in 1990. The story is really creepy: after reading it, I was afraid for several days to go to the bathroom at night. I was then 12 years old. To be honest, I don’t remember the plot, but very vivid images have survived in my mind: a red spot on the wall, from where a red hand emerges from time to time, which strangles a child, or green eyes “running” along the wall, which are also somehow kill children. This work has nothing to do with England. However, there is something about him that echoes the story I want to tell.

My home is an oasis of happiness

The Industrial Revolution significantly changed the life of Great Britain in the 19th century. The emergence of factories and plants, the creation of high-speed transport, the introduction of machinery and equipment into production led to the fact that things began to be manufactured in unprecedented quantities and sold at very affordable prices. In addition, the development of private entrepreneurship has created a need for qualified or at least competent employees. As a result, a solid stratum of people appeared in the country who could read and write, who got a job as employees in numerous companies, firms, bureaus and offices. The opportunities that opened up contributed to the fact that many rural residents were removed from their homes and went to catch their luck in the cities: if in 1801 about 78% of the population lived in villages, then by 1850 - already about 50% (Britain in the Nineteenth Century 1815-1914, Chris Cook). In other words, by the middle of the 19th century, a strong middle class had developed in Britain (although the level of poverty in the country as a whole was colossal).

Middle class family

Representatives of this class wanted to live like a human being and could afford it. And what is the first thing a family does when it has escaped the bridle of want? He strives to build a cozy nest for himself. Thus, the concept of a home as a paradise and a citadel of happiness arose, the keeper of which was a woman. Moreover, it was during this era that the expression "standard of living" began to be used.

Family Idyll, William Powell Frith, 1856

And in 1851, the prosperous townspeople had a great opportunity to see what the domestic industry had to offer. From May 1 to October 11, the Great Exhibition was held in London (you can read about it in part here). This grand event was attended by about six million people. Oh, what a delight it was to wander the halls and stare at the latest furniture, dishes, fabrics, ingenious kitchen gadgets and other wonderful things, knowing that you can afford it all!

Exhibition visitors appreciate the furniture

Nuances

However, despite the fact that the Victorians moved away from the severity and restraint that dominated the design of the 18th century, and began to consider bright colors and abundance of clothing as a sign of well-being, it was not worth buying any item you liked. As John Ruskin wrote, the main authority of those times in everything related to aesthetics (in Russia he is stubbornly called Ruskin): "Good taste is, first of all, a moral quality … What we like determines our essence." Therefore, furnishing your living space should be in accordance with the then prevailing norms, otherwise you could get into a mess.

John Ruskin

“Did you see that creepy sideboard at the Richardsons?”

- Why is there a sideboard, just look what color their wallpaper is!

- What squalor!

By the way, yes, wallpaper in the second half of the 19th century began to enjoy incredible popularity. With the advent of gas lighting in their homes, city dwellers, for the first time in history, were able to enjoy bright colors within the walls of their homes. And this circumstance caused a kind of wallpaper boom. However, here, too, one had to be careful: one could choose the wrong shade and get screwed up again.

Examples of Victorian wallpaper

“Don't you think,” said Mr. Corner, between two sips, “that you’re not running the house as it should be.”

“But honey, I'll try…” Mrs. Corner pleaded.

- Where are your books? demanded Mr. Corner suddenly.

- My books? Mrs. Corner repeated in amazement.

Mr. Corner slammed his fist on the table and everyone in the room, including Mrs. Corner, jumped.

“Don't lead me by the nose, my dear,” said Mr. Corner, “you know perfectly well what I mean by your books on business.

(Jerome K. Jerome. Mrs. Corner pays the price).

Fortunately for housewives, the bookstores were full of all sorts of literature on "business": from magazines and newspapers (Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, The Ladies Treasury - household magazine, Lady's Pictorial - newspaper for the home, The queen - lady's newspaper, etc.)) to weighty encyclopedias. One of the most striking examples of such manuals can be considered Cassell's Household Guide, which contained answers to any everyday questions: how to cook breakfast, how to furnish an apartment, how to harness a horse, how to get rid of a cough, etc. So, in this book, in the section Principle of good taste in household furniture and decoration, it was reported that shades of green are best suited for the interior (and indeed), since this color has an extremely beneficial effect on the eyes (the eye rests). At the same time, the author of this storehouse of worldly wisdom advised not to abuse yellow-red tones, because they are chosen only by bumpkins and savages.

It is not hard to guess that the demand for green wallpaper was simply cosmic. And everyone was happy: manufacturers received huge incomes, and consumers - stylish apartments. However, at the peak of the product's popularity, unpleasant things began to happen in cities.

HM…

“On the night of December 13, 1876, a young man (age 22) felt very bad. Symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps …”The ad appeared in one of the newspapers known at that time. And what is characteristic: this was far from the only message of this kind. "The child was found in a semi-comatose state", "Unexpected death", "Died a few hours after …" What the hell is this?

And that's what!

In 1778, German-born Swedish chemist Karl Wilhelm Scheele experimented with arsenic. As a result of experiments (they say that he mixed potassium and white arsenic in a solution of copper sulfate), he managed to obtain a green pigment of extraordinary beauty. This dye was immediately used … in almost everything.

Karl Scheele

About 60 years later, the German chemist Leopold Gmelin noted that in rooms with high humidity, on the walls of which are pasted green wallpaper, it smells of mice. He immediately decided that it was about cacodylic acid, an arsenic compound of high toxicity. Without thinking twice, Gmelin wrote a note in the Karslruher Zeitung newspaper, urging citizens to refrain from buying green wallpaper due to their danger to health and life. The cry was heard, and subsequently the use of Scheele's greens was banned in Germany.

Case in Birmingham

In the winter of 1856, a wealthy couple of townspeople complained to Dr. William Hinds of a deterioration in their health. "Weakness, sore throat, sore eyes, headaches." Even their parrot lost its former energy, refused to eat and drank constantly. It got to the point that they had to go to sea. And, happiness, their condition has improved markedly. “This is all from fatigue. You have to feel sorry for yourself. " However, as soon as they returned, health problems resumed.

The situation became so threatening that the couple began to think about an afterlife. A parrot including a poor bird was lying helplessly at the bottom of the cage, unable to raise his head to take a sip of water. But at some point it suddenly dawned on them that the trouble began soon after they had pasted green wallpaper over several rooms. “Let's get rid of this nasty thing. This is our last chance. " We got rid of the muck, and after a week, health was restored. "The UK is in a state of slow self-poisoning," Dr. Hinds would later say.

Noise

In short, there was a fuss in the British press that, they say, damned industrialists and money-hungry merchants add poison to household items and, as they say, do not blow their minds. Meanwhile, people are dying in the country. Industrialists and merchants, in turn, argued that all this was the intrigues of competitors, that their products were completely safe, and in order to prove this, they were even ready to arrange a public eating of wallpaper.

Particularly interesting is the position of William Morris, a prominent fabric and furniture designer, artist, poet, socialist, informal leader of the Arts and Crafts Movement, and so on. In particular, he developed wallpaper designs that used Scheele green. However, among other things, this remarkable man, and a convinced socialist, was, excuse me, a shareholder and director of one of the largest mines for the extraction of copper and arsenic - Devon Great Consols (I apologize to the miners - I am completely unfamiliar with this area). This business brought him serious profits, so he, naturally, zealously defended the harmlessness of arsenic wallpaper.

Wallpaper Design by William Morris

Queen Victoria even got involved in the story. It is said that once a dignitary stayed at Buckingham Palace. After spending the night in the chambers allocated to him, in the morning he was supposed to appear at the appointed time "at the court", but did not appear, which greatly angered Her Majesty. When this man did come, he apologized for a long time, they say, excuse me, lady, I felt very bad, it must have been because of the green wallpaper in my room. Victoria was horrified by this and ordered to pluck all the "green" from the walls of the palace.

However, the parliamentarians refused to consider the case on the prohibition of the use of harmful dye. Obviously, there were people interested in production among them. And then the newspapermen got down to business: the press began to regularly appear in the press, calling on the population to abandon the stylish color and buy wallpaper "free from arsenic" (not containing arsenic).

The action was a success: in the 1880s, industrialists had to put up with it and change the production technology. Although, there is an opinion that some dodgers continued to use poisonous dyes, frankly spitting on the health of their fellow citizens.

Dessert

We'll have Napoleon for dessert. But not cake, but Bonaparte. They say he died of cancer. Perhaps this is so. However, there are other versions, because arsenic was found on a strand of the former emperor's hair. Personally, I am extremely skeptical of conspiracy theories. But the facts, you know, are stubborn things: on the walls of the commander's bedroom there were wallpaper with a green pattern …

What color is the wallpaper in your bedroom ?!

See also: Fashion for radioactivity

The terrible sacrifices made by fashionistas in Europe in the name of beauty