What is the art and craft of marquetry?
What is Marquetry? Marquetry, also sometimes called intarsia, is the art and craft of producing pictures and decorative designs by the skilful use of the grain, figure and colour of thin veneers of wood and other materials.
Who are the members of the marquetry Society?
The Marquetry Society was founded in 1952 to further the development of the art and craft of marquetry, and now has some 1,000 members world-wide. There are over 30 marquetry groups affiliated to the Society, all keen to welcome new members and pass on help and advice to the enthusiastic beginner.
What kind of furniture can you use marquetry on?
Marquetry. The technique may be applied to case furniture or even seat furniture, to decorative small objects with smooth, veneerable surfaces or to freestanding pictorial panels appreciated in their own right.
What’s the history of marquetry and wood veneer?
In fact, marquetry is considered one of the earliest forms of handicrafts that our ancestors made. Take a look at the glorious history of marquetry and how it has evolved over the years. Historians believe that the ancient craft of intarsia is what gave birth to the practice of wood veneer and marquetry.
When did marquetry start to be used on furniture?
Nevertheless, marquetry was introduced into London furniture at the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, the product of immigrant Dutch ‘inlayers’, whose craft traditions owed a lot to Antwerp. Panels of elaborately scrolling “seaweed” marquetry of box or holly contrasting with walnut appeared on table tops, cabinets, and long-case clocks.
The Marquetry Society was founded in 1952 to further the development of the art and craft of marquetry, and now has some 1,000 members world-wide. There are over 30 marquetry groups affiliated to the Society, all keen to welcome new members and pass on help and advice to the enthusiastic beginner.
When was the height of marquetry in France?
The zenith of marquetry was in the late 17th and early 18th century France, where the craft reached the status of high art through generous royal patronage. André Charles Boulle was in the vanguard of the French movement. By 1672 he was ensconced in the royal workshops of Louis XIV.
Which is the best guide to marquetry for beginners?
The American Marquetry Society Beginners Guide The American Marquetry Society (AMS) is devoted to advancing the art and craft of marquetry. Marquetry- A Beginner’s Guide This guide is based on a booklet written by Quentin Smith in 1995, to accompany the Group’s first training course.
