Luke Irwin and the Tale of The Deverill Villa
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- Опубліковано 15 жов 2024
- www.lukeirwin.com | In February 2015, while laying electricity cables at his Wiltshire farmhouse, rug designer Luke Irwin struck a cold, flat surface. There, about 18 inches beneath the muddy topsoil, lay an untouched Roman mosaic - a striking pattern, unseen for some 1,600 years.
A mesh of vivid oranges, creams and greys, the mosaic was extraordinarily well-preserved, sparking a ‘frisson of excitement’ in the designer as he stood above it. However, this was only the very beginning, and the incredible journey that began on the edge of that field is only coming full circle now, 15 extraordinary months on.
In little over a year, Irwin has learnt, via involvement with Historic England, that his Wiltshire home is the site of the Deverill Villa, one of the most significant Roman finds in decades - a vast two-storey ‘palace’ that once housed dignitaries of some importance. While Brixton Deverill may now be a sleepy backwater, the discovery of oyster shells, sarcophagi and seemingly endless ’tesserae’ blocks of Cirencester mosaic suggest that the peaceful valley may have once been quite the opposite.
For a luxury floor designer of Irwin’s stature to have discovered the 400AD equivalent of his work beneath his garden gate is, in his words, ‘beyond serendipity’, and the creative impulses fired by the mosaic proved too great to ignore. Keen to avoid creating ‘a pastiche of Roman mosaic’, Irwin worked with his creative partner, Vikram Kapoor, to weave a series of exquisite pieces inspired by the discovery.
The Luke Irwin Mosaic Collection, launching in April 2016, is the modern equivalent of the luxury floor pieces so highly prised by the Roman elite. A unique combination of silks and oxidised wools, the rugs take inspiration from the proud, ancient, astonishing work of the Cirencester mosaicists and fires brings it into the present.
“People have rugs, cushions and sofas,” says Irwin, "and their room looks so fine, so splendid, so understated. But they’re not really looking at it. It’s just a backdrop to their lives. With this collection, I wanted to spark a thought process that might be a bit more interesting than the norm. I see it as a portal, or a sort of potion, to take you back 2,000 years. There are not many objects that have the power to trigger those thoughts.”
For the complete story, as well as a chance to look at the collection itself, head to www.lukeirwin.com. We look forward to sharing this magnificent tale with you.
Luke Irwin is a genius! He has completed a circle, no question.
Wow! This story gave me goose bumps. What an amazing find! History coming back to life and finding a new life through your rugs.
I love this story. What is old is new again.
absolutely superb and fantastic find.
+Scott Patterson Thank you very much Scott.
Great find and incredible rugs. Very nice indeed!
Beautiful dog! What breed is he/she?
..sad story that rich and poor people are still same, but maybe greediness is way off good and great life.
No word of a lie, that "distressed" look seen at the end is identical to an old moth-eaten carpet I have, the areas under furniture away from daylight. Maybe I could sell it as a "designer" carpet for a tidy profit instead of throwing it away! £££
I think if your carpet faded from just regular light, pigments seem cheap ! How old is carpet ? How long sit there ? And who made it ?
Can I have it? 😁
Lovely discovery, but slightly off-putting to see modern slave labor...
+jolarti Where did you see that? I see the wealth of rich westerners being distributed to Indians through their labor.
The stitchers seemed well off, I bet their payed !