The Briar Rose (Centre Panel) - Walter Crane
Archival giclée
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Description
A detailed depiction of the Sleeping Beauty myth, featuring the prince discovering the slumbering princess in a scene of quiet, decorative stillness.
This work represents the central panel of Walter Crane's series depicting the Sleeping Beauty myth. Crane, a prominent figure in the Arts and Crafts movement, utilised his background in illustration to construct a scene defined by clear outlines and decorative detail. The composition captures the moment the prince discovers the princess, who remains in a deep slumber surrounded by the quiet stillness of the castle.
The prince stands to the left, his attire adorned with heraldic motifs and symbolic patterns that reflect Crane's interest in medieval design. His posture is one of cautious observation, his finger raised to his lips in a gesture of silence. The princess lies upon a bed draped in white, her form rendered with a softness that contrasts with the structured, patterned surfaces of the prince's cloak and the surrounding floor coverings. A lute rests in the foreground, suggesting the sudden cessation of music and life within the enchanted palace.
Crane's approach to the subject avoids the dramatic tension often found in academic painting, favouring instead a balanced, stage-like arrangement of figures and objects. The architectural elements, including the columns and the glimpse of the garden beyond, provide a sense of depth while maintaining the flat, graphic quality characteristic of his work. The colour palette is carefully managed, using warm ochres and reds in the prince's garments to draw the eye, while the cool tones of the bed and the background suggest the passage of time and the magical suspension of the scene. This print captures the precise draughtsmanship and the narrative clarity that Crane brought to his interpretations of folklore and classical literature, offering a view into the aesthetic priorities of late nineteenth-century British decorative art.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
The Briar Rose (Centre Panel) - Walter Crane
Artist Biography
Walter Crane
He began as a children's book illustrator, apprenticed to the wood engraver W.J. Linton. His Toy Books for the publisher Routledge, produced from 1865 onward, used flat areas of colour, strong outlines and decorative borders influenced by Japanese woodblock prints and the Pre-Raphaelites. They were among the first mass-produced children's books to treat illustration as a design problem rather than an afterthought.
During a lecture tour of the United States he spoke in favour of clemency for the anarchists sentenced to death after the Haymarket Affair. His wealthy American patrons cancelled engagements. Crane did not retract.
He became Vice President of the Healthy and Artistic Dress Union, a movement promoting loose-fitting clothing in opposition to tight Victorian corsetry. He wrote The Claims of Decorative Art, arguing that decorative art was not a lesser form. He was Art Director of the Art Workers' Guild and the first president of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society.
He wanted to be taken seriously as a painter of allegorical canvases, but the galleries would not exhibit them. The children's books and the socialist cartoons are what lasted. Morris would have appreciated the irony.
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