Marquetery
The art of marquetry developed in Italy during the fourteenth century. It consists of applying on woodwork elements cut from thin sheets of wood, forming ornamental or figurative compositions. In the 17th century, this technique underwent an important evolution with the use of the saw which allows a more precise cutting than the chisel.
Called wooden painting, it lends itself to compositions of flowers, animals, characters and various ornaments.
The markers or intarsiatori used the cartons as a guide, they cut the veneer pieces to the model. They traced the contours of the pattern in order to dig the solid panel to allow the various elements to be inserted into the alveoli. Once prepared, the incrustations were retained in the panels by a hot glue or cold glue of casein.
There are several marquetry techniques such as Tarsia Geometrica or Tarsia a Topo.
The Tarsia Geometrica : The pieces are assembled against each other, are encrusted in the cavities hollowed out in the solid wood, the latter forms a partitioning of the intermediate parts as well as the frame. The look is akin to what we now call Frisage. The contrast is given by the colors and arrangement of the veining of the various woods.
The Tarsia a Topo : It is to cut wooden sticks of different colors and sections that are assembled in bundles, between two or more veneers. These chopsticks are glued to the glue of bones and nerves. This block is then debossed by decorative strips which are called composite nets.
Wood used :
- Walnut
- Mulberry
- pear tree
- Lacustre Oak
- Brown Oak
- Charcoal
- Cherry tree
- Holly
- Sycamore
- La Blanchette: wood tinted by the Fongus. Wood dyeing occurs in the dead trees of the forest.
