Leather Panel
1700-1725 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Leather panels were used to cover walls as an alternative to wooden panelling or textile hangings. Luxurious effects could be achieved with rich colours and highly patterned surfaces. Often the decoration of these hangings echoed the design of other furnishings in a room, and tied together an interior decorative scheme. The gold cartouches and geometric infill of this panel resemble carved decoration found on gilded French furniture of theearly 18th century.
It is uncertain exactly how this panel was made. Traditionally, wet leather was pressed onto a raised wooden mould to create an embossed surface. In 1628, however, a similar process using a heated metal plate was patented in the Netherlands. This technique, which was widely copied, made it possible to produce large numbers of identical, finely detailed panels. Even sharper detail could be achieved on a thin leather, such as sheep skin, which was probably used for this panel. Its crisp embossed surface suggests that a metal plate was used in this panel's manufacture.
Although areas of the panel appear to be gilded, the precious metal used to create this effect is actually silver. A thin silver foil was applied to the panel and then coated with a layer of yellow varnish to look like gold leaf.
It is uncertain exactly how this panel was made. Traditionally, wet leather was pressed onto a raised wooden mould to create an embossed surface. In 1628, however, a similar process using a heated metal plate was patented in the Netherlands. This technique, which was widely copied, made it possible to produce large numbers of identical, finely detailed panels. Even sharper detail could be achieved on a thin leather, such as sheep skin, which was probably used for this panel. Its crisp embossed surface suggests that a metal plate was used in this panel's manufacture.
Although areas of the panel appear to be gilded, the precious metal used to create this effect is actually silver. A thin silver foil was applied to the panel and then coated with a layer of yellow varnish to look like gold leaf.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Embossed and gilded leather |
Brief description | Embossed gilt leather panel in low relief. Gilded and painted with flowers, drapery, a medallion, ribbon work, diaper and acanthoid ornament heightened in a red glaze and a dark green on a green-grey ground, France, ca. 1700-25 |
Physical description | Embossed sheepskin panel, silvered and yellow-varnished to simulate gilding. The central cartouche upon a blue-grey ground is filled with a small geometric pattern overlaid with swags of flowers highlighted in red and black. The decoration also includes a large stylised shell, scrolls, part cartouches, and a basket of flowers. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Marks and inscriptions | 'O' (Canvas-print on the back.) |
Credit line | Gift of Murray Marks |
Object history | No other panel of this pattern has been traced up till this moment. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | Leather panels were used to cover walls as an alternative to wooden panelling or textile hangings. Luxurious effects could be achieved with rich colours and highly patterned surfaces. Often the decoration of these hangings echoed the design of other furnishings in a room, and tied together an interior decorative scheme. The gold cartouches and geometric infill of this panel resemble carved decoration found on gilded French furniture of theearly 18th century. It is uncertain exactly how this panel was made. Traditionally, wet leather was pressed onto a raised wooden mould to create an embossed surface. In 1628, however, a similar process using a heated metal plate was patented in the Netherlands. This technique, which was widely copied, made it possible to produce large numbers of identical, finely detailed panels. Even sharper detail could be achieved on a thin leather, such as sheep skin, which was probably used for this panel. Its crisp embossed surface suggests that a metal plate was used in this panel's manufacture. Although areas of the panel appear to be gilded, the precious metal used to create this effect is actually silver. A thin silver foil was applied to the panel and then coated with a layer of yellow varnish to look like gold leaf. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | 482-1869 |
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Record created | January 3, 2007 |
Record URL |
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