Old Time Wall Papers: An Account of the Pictorial Papers on Our Forefathers' Walls with a Study of the Historical Development of Wall Paper Making and DecorationSanborn, Kate
History
Old Time Wall Papers: An Account of the Pictorial Papers on Our Forefathers' Walls with a Study of the Historical Development of Wall Paper Making and Decoration
Sanborn, Kate
Interior decoration -- History; Wallpaper
It may be interesting to remember that the pretty wall-papers of the
days of Queen Anne and early Georges were designed by nobody in
particular, at a time when there were no art schools anywhere; and one
can easily see that the wall-papers, the stuff-patterns and the
furniture of that time are in harmony, showing that they came out
of the same creative mould, and were the product of a sort of
spirit-of-the-age.
Mica, powdered glass, glittering metallic dust or sand, silver dross,
and even gold foil, were later used, and a silver-colored glimmer called
cat-silver, all to produce a brilliant effect. This art was known long
ago in China, and I am told of a Chinese paper, seen in St. Petersburg,
which had all over it a silver-colored lustre.
Block printing and stencilling naturally belong to this subject, but, as
my theme is "Old Time Wall Papers," and my book is not intended to be
technical, or a book of reference as regards their manufacture, I shall
not dwell on them.
Nor would it be wise to detail all the rival claimants for the honor of
inventing a way of making wall-paper in rolls instead of small sheets;
nor to give the names even of all the famous paper-makers. One,
immortalized by Carlyle in his _French Revolution_, must be
mentioned--Revillon, whose papers in water colors and in flock were so
perfect and so extremely beautiful that Madame de Genlis said they cost
as much as fine Gobelin tapestry. Revillon had a large factory in the
Rue du Faubourg St. Antoine, Paris, and in 1788 was employing three
hundred hands. He was urged to incite his workmen to head the Faubourg
in open rebellion, but refused to listen; and angry at his inability to
coerce this honorable man the envoy caused a false report to be spread
about, that he intended to cut his wages one-half.
_PLATE IV._
Scenes from the life of an eighteenth century gallant form this
unusual old French paper--a gaming quarrel, a duel, an elopement
and other edifying episodes, framed in rococo scrolls.
[Illustration]
This roused a furious mob, and everything was ruined, and he never
recovered from the undeserved disaster.
Carlyle closes his description of the fatal riot with these words: "What
a sight! A street choked up with lumber, tumult and endless press of
men. A Paper-Warehouse eviscerated by axe and fire; mad din of revolt;
musket volleys responded to by yells, by miscellaneous missiles, by
tiles raining from roof and window, tiles, execrations and slain
men!--There is an encumbered street, four or five hundred dead men;
unfortunate Revillon has found shelter in the Bastille."
England advanced in the art of paper-making during the time the French
were planning the Revolution, and English velvet papers became the
fashion. In 1754 Mme. de Pompadour had her wardrobe and the passage that
led to her apartments hung with English paper. In 1758 she had the
bath-room of the Chateau de Champs papered with it, and others followed
her example.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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