Description:It is not clear if this watercolour is a curtain design or a study of an existing curtain. Its proportions and other material with it suggest it is likely to be for a stage rather than for a window.
It is from the Phillp album, a collection of watercolours and sketches by John Phillp (c.1778-1815). Phillp may have been Matthew Boulton's son but the evidence is inconclusive. He was born in Falmouth, Cornwall and came to Soho in 1793. Boulton paid for William Hollins to teach him architectural drawing in 1795. During his time at Soho he produced designs for silver, plate, medals and tokens.
Conservation and cleaning had to be undertaken on the album before it could be scanned and this was carried out as part of the Digital Handsworth Project.