Decoupage – A Little History
I have been covered in glue for days, experimenting with a few new things that I’ve never tried before. It is clear to me now that my instincts were right…I’m glad I never bought that pricey decoupage book at the store. Was it inspirational? Yes. Informational? Meh. There has to be a great decoupage book out there that is filled with great tips and tricks as well as inspiration. My mission is to find it!
(Insert James Bond theme here)…I began my search on the internet, of course. Soon I uncovered a lot of cool info about the history of decoupage. Here’s a brief run down on what I discovered:
Decoupage became fashionable in Venice, Italy during the 17th century. At that time, Chinese and Japanese lacquered furniture was very popular. These exquisite pieces often displayed unique hand-painted designs coated in heavy black lacquer with a smooth gloss finish. This furniture was so popular they couldn’t import enough to keep up. To meet the demand for the Asian furniture, Venetian cabinet-makers glued paper designs and engravings to furniture and coated them in varnish. Lacca contrafatta, or “counterfeit lacquer,” then became popular all over Europe.
Walls, ceilings, and furniture that was hand painted by famous artisan was also popular among the wealthy for centuries (the Sistine Chapel is a good example). During the 17th century, decoupage became a popular alternative. Paper cut outs were glued and lacquered to look like original paintings. As a result, the art of decoupage became known as l’arte del povero, or “poor man’s art.”
Decoupage became particularly popular as a hobby among gentlewomen during the 18th century. The hobby was then called the art of Japanning (a term that was derived from the Asian lacquerwork technique). During the Victorian Age, decoupaged flowers and other botanical motifs could be found on furniture, screens, lampshade, hatboxes…even Valentine cards.
Some famous enthusiasts and practitioners include Marie Antoinette, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse. Matisse’s “The Blue Nude II” was created with decoupage.
Kelly Guerrettaz is a freelance writer and crafter. When she isn’t learning and creating, she spends her time writing educational articles about crafts. To find more information about decoupage or other crafts online, visit her at http://ohcrafty1.com/
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