Marquetry
Marquetry is a decorative art form that involves inlaying various materials, primarily thin pieces of wood known as veneers, to create intricate designs. The term originates from the French word "marqueter," which means "to inlay," commonly seen on furniture pieces. This craft likely evolved from ancient stone mosaic traditions, with historical examples found in Egyptian tombs, reflecting a rich heritage that spans centuries. The development of the fretsaw in the 16th century allowed for greater precision in cutting veneers, facilitating the production of detailed marquetry designs, which were often exclusive to the wealthy due to their labor-intensive nature.
Marquetry can encompass a variety of themes, including floral motifs, geometric patterns known as parquetry, and symmetrical designs referred to as seaweed marquetry. Today, it is popular as a hobby among amateur artisans. The process involves selecting veneers to enhance a pattern, cutting them with various techniques such as the window method, pad method, or double-bevel marquetry. Each method offers distinct advantages in terms of efficiency and precision. Once assembled, the marquetry design is mounted on a surface, sanded, and finished to protect the artwork. This intricate craft continues to captivate creators and enthusiasts, reflecting both historical traditions and individual artistic expression.
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Marquetry
Marquetry is the art of using materials to create decorative designs. The word marquetry comes from the French marqueter, which means "to inlay as on a piece of furniture." Thin pieces of wood are the most common materials used, but shell and other items are also used in marquetry. The pieces that are inlaid to create a design are called veneers.
Marquetry likely developed out of stone mosaic traditions. Ancient artisans used bone, ivory, metal, shell, stone, wood, and other veneers. Examples have been found in Egyptian tombs.
The invention of the fretsaw during the sixteenth century allowed artisans to cut veneers very precisely, and marquetry flourished in Europe. Only the wealthy could afford these time-consuming pieces.
Overview
Marquetry can be used to create any type of design, including floral designs and symmetrical scrolls known as seaweed marquetry. Geometric patterns, called parquetry, are also popular.
In the modern era, it is most commonly a hobby practiced by amateurs. Veneers are almost exclusively wood, and thousands of types of wood are available. Wood colors, as well as the direction in which pieces are cut—with or against the grain—offer artists many choices.
A marquetry artist, or marquetarian, chooses veneer pieces to enhance a pattern. The marquetarian cuts the pieces with a knife or a fretsaw before gluing them together. The design is then mounted on the surface that is its base—for example, the top of a table—and sanded flat. Finally, it is covered with a finish, which seals the piece and protects it.
Marquetarians may use many techniques to cut veneers. Three of the most popular woodworking methods are the window method, pad method, and double-bevel marquetry. The window method involves tracing a shape onto the veneer that serves as the framing piece, or background veneer. The artist cuts the shape with a knife, making sure the cut edges are straight by holding the blade perpendicular to the surface of the veneer. The artist then places the veneer that will fill this window below the background veneer, aligning the desired portion (chosen for its color or grain, for example), and uses the window as a guide to cutting the bottom veneer. When the insert is placed into the window of the background veneer, it is held in place temporarily with tape, and the gaps are filled with glue. The pad method allows the artist to cut multiple identical pieces at once, usually with a scroll saw. The marquetarian stacks multiple good and waste veneers. The good veneers are positioned on the waste veneers so the desired portion is in the area to be cut. The completed pad contains alternate layers of good and waste veneers. The cutting pattern is glued to the top layer of waste veneer. The pad is compressed and held together by tape, staples, or nails during cutting. This method creates a great deal of waste veneer. Double-bevel marquetry uses a band saw to make an angled cut simultaneously through both the background veneer and the insert piece. This produces insert pieces that tightly fit into the window of the background veneer. Glue seals the small gaps and holds the pieces together. Cutting the pieces at an angle makes the glue and gaps invisible or barely noticeable.
Bibliography
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Cope, Sophie. "The Cabinet with the Letter: Luxury and Poverty in 18th-Century Würzburg." V&A Online Journal, no. 6, 2014, www.vam.ac.uk/content/journals/research-journal/issue-no.-6-summer-2014/the-cabinet-with-the-letter-luxury-and-poverty-in-18th-century-wurzburg/. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
"How Do I Start Making My Own Marquetry Pictures? " Marquetry Society, www.marquetry.org/hows‗it‗done.htm. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
Jackson, F. Hamilton. Intarsia and Marquetry—A Handbook for the Designer and Craftsman. Read Books Ltd., 2016.
Phillips, Ian. "Lison de Caunes Is Helping Bring Back Straw Marquetry." Architectural Digest, 2 Nov. 2015, www.architecturaldigest.com/story/lison-de-caunes-is-helping-bring-back-straw-marquetry. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
"What Is Marquetry?" American Marquetry Society, www.americanmarquetrysociety.com/Marquetry.html. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
"What Is Marquetry?" Redbridge Marquetry Group, www.redbridgemarquetrygroup.org/what‗is‗marquetry.html. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.