19th Century Textile & Wallpaper
Technical progress serving the reinvention of the past
Decorative arts in the 19th century reinvested styles of the past and particularly those of the 18th century, symbols of French luxury. This historicism which finds its foundations both in Antiquity and in Renaissance will affect fashion and interior decoration.
The period is also strongly marked by industrialization and technical progress which will contribute to the rise of these neo-styles and also allow the emergence of the golden age of wallpaper.
It already existed in England at the beginning of the 18th century: sheets were glued next to each other before printing them on a wooden board. The mechanization of manufacturing processes, such as the use of cylinders, then the use of steam, accelerated the process and made it possible to install wallpaper in many homes from the end of the 19th century.
Moving from artisanal to industrial production will influence the work of textures and colors, favoring all kinds of daring: embossing, satin finishing, stamping, gilding... wallpaper becomes a master of trompe-l'oeil.
