Marquetry photos of works by famous marquetry masters. Wooden mosaic

MARQUETRY

In one of the halls of the Kuskovo estate museum near Moscow there is a small table, very simple in shape. But visitors still linger around the table and spend a long time looking at the delicate and complex design that decorates it. With scrupulous precision, the artist depicted the architectural ensemble of the huge Kuskovo estate, not leaving even the smallest bush unattended.

Taking a closer look, visitors discover that the landscape is not painted with paints, but is laid out from many pieces of multi-colored wood. Perhaps more than one thousand thin plywood pieces had to be selected by a patient craftsman to do this jewelry work. And not on a whim - that was the order. The artist coped with it with honor, showing the unlimited possibilities of wood mosaics. And - amazing thing! — despite the many small elements, the design organically merges with the surface of the table, forming a single whole with it. There is a legend that the author of this amazing table, serf cabinetmaker Nikifor Vasiliev, went blind immediately after its manufacture - the visual strain was so great.

The art of mosaic made from thin wooden plates, the so-called marquetry, arose in the 17th century in Europe and was most widespread in France. For some time after the birth of the marquetry technique, furniture decorated with mosaic sets was brought to Russia from Western Europe. But already in the 18th century, domestic masters from serfs appeared. The marquetry technique has advanced the art of mosaic on wood far forward, since it replaced the labor-intensive intarsia - cutting pieces of various wood into a wooden base.

Interest in the marquetry technique has not waned to this day. Modern craftsmen decorate musical instruments, furniture, artistic parquet and much more with mosaic sets.
To make mosaic sets, you need to purchase veneer - single-layer plywood made from wood of various species. The thickness of such veneer ranges from 0.5 to 1.2 mm. It is sold in building materials stores, in the Young Technician and Pioneer stores.

Karelian birch veneer is an excellent material for a mosaic set. The curly wavy texture gives the wood an extraordinary decorative effect. But ordinary birch wood is also quite suitable for marquetry. Pear has dense pinkish-brown wood. Often used in sets is oak veneer, which is well etched (we will talk about this later) to resemble the so-called bog oak. Moderately hard walnut wood is easy to work with. It cuts perfectly in all directions and has a wide range of colors - from light brown to almost black. Mahogany is widely used in mosaic sets. It also comes in different shades - from light pink to red-brown.

In addition to the listed species, which are most used in marquetry, any wood with all sorts of defects is used (false heartwood, blueness, tilt, flow, redness, double sapwood, etc.), allowing one to obtain a unique pattern.
But marquetry uses not only the natural color of wood. Wood of many species is sometimes subjected to pickling - deep staining, thereby imitating other, more valuable species.
To dye veneer red, it is first well soaked in a weak solution of copper sulfate (15 g per liter of water), then dried and dipped in a solution of yellow blood salt (ferrous potassium sulfate) - it is sold in a photo store. For one liter of water you need to take 90 g of yellow blood salt.

To obtain a blue or light green color, the wood is etched with a solution of ferric chloride. To obtain a dark brown color, use a solution of copper sulfate, for black and gray - iron sulfate, dark green - copper chloride. The concentration of solutions can be changed depending on what shade you want to get.
Oak, walnut and beech wood, which contains large amounts of tannins, is pickled without pre-treatment.

And the wood of linden, alder, birch, poplar, pine and other species must be soaked in a decoction of ink nuts before pickling - these are growths on oak leaves. If you don’t find ink nuts, make a decoction of oak or willow bark.

There are two ways to make a mosaic set using the marquetry technique. The simplest is laying out an ornament from pre-cut identical elements. But this method has limited capabilities, since it allows you to relatively quickly create only a geometric pattern with repeating elements. Nevertheless, it is advisable to start studying the marquetry technique with this simple method.
Our figure shows a set made of three repeating elements. Accordingly, three different types of veneer with different textures and colors were used. This set can be used to decorate a box or pencil case lid.

Clamp the piece of paper to the drawing board or plywood. Draw a life-size template drawing. Decide right away which three types of wood you will use in the set and select the veneer. And in order to clearly imagine the future ornament, paint its elements on the drawing with watercolors to match the color of the proposed rocks.
Use cardboard or thick paper to make a template for each element. Now place the templates on the pieces of veneer and trace with a pencil.

Along the pencil lines, cut out the elements of the ornament with a cutter, the shape of which is shown in the figure. The cutter must be made of good steel. How to make it yourself and sharpen it is described in the article about wood carving. Hold the cutter in your hand as you would normally hold a pencil or fountain pen. When cutting, guide the cutter exactly along the line, slightly tilting it towards you. The cutter should maintain its position unchanged, and when cutting long curved lines, move the veneer towards the tip. Place a board of soft wood under the veneer pieces while cutting.
Sometimes the elements of the set are cut out with a jigsaw. In this case, from several sheets of veneer connected into a package, several identical elements are obtained at once.

The sawn or cut out elements of the ornament are smeared with carpenter's glue and pasted onto the template drawing, tightly fitting each element to each other.

When the entire set is completed, it must be glued to the base. The base can be a board or a thick sheet of plywood. Lubricate the base with wood glue and place the set on it so that the paper template is on top. Place three or four sheets of newsprint on top and press them down with a wooden board. Place all this under a press, hold for three to four hours, then unpress. Carry out further work no less than two days after unpressing, when the set is completely dry.

Using coarse sandpaper wrapped around a block of wood, remove the paper template from the set. Then sand the set with fine grit sandpaper. The elements of the set must be sanded along the grain of the wood. When sanding across the grain, scratches are formed, which will inevitably appear during further processing. Scratches are especially noticeable on soft wood.

The polished set is varnished or waxed, depending on the artistic design.
If you are planning to varnish the surface of the set, it is best to use nitro varnishes. They are moisture resistant, transparent, dry quickly and acquire an intense shine. It is not recommended to varnish a mosaic set with oil varnishes, since they produce a low-transparent film and do not sufficiently reveal the wood texture (although oil varnishes are sometimes good for other types of woodwork). Nitrovarnishes are conveniently applied to wood with an ordinary spray bottle, which is used for cologne.

Apply the first coat of varnish to the sanded set and let it dry for an hour. Then sand the surface with fine-grained sandpaper and apply another 2-3 layers of varnish. After each layer, increase the drying time by about an hour. So, before applying the fourth layer, dry the third for three hours. After applying the last layer, dry the varnish for 24 hours, then polish with polishing paste.

For waxing, you need to prepare a mastic consisting of two parts turpentine and one part wax. Slowly pour turpentine into the melted wax, stirring, then stir thoroughly. Wax with cooled mastic using a rag swab or bristle brush. The mastic is allowed to dry for 2-3 hours, after which the set is rubbed until shiny with a brush or cloth.

Now try to complete the mosaic set using the second method. As with the first one, first of all develop a life-size sketch. Complete the sketch in color, and draw the boundaries between adjacent colors with a clear contour line. Place a sheet of tracing paper on the finished sketch and transfer a linear drawing onto it. Turn the tracing paper over and you will get a mirror image of the drawing. It is this mirror image that is transferred using carbon paper onto a sheet of veneer, which will serve as a background and at the same time a template.

You can get a mirror image without resorting to tracing paper. To do this, wipe the reverse side of the sketch with a cotton swab lightly moistened with linseed or sunflower oil. When a mirror image of the design appears on the back side, carefully wipe the paper with a dry cloth. As with tracing paper, the reverse drawing is transferred to a sheet of veneer.

In the picture you see the sequence of making one fragment of the set - a flower. First, try making a mosaic set of this flower. You will need veneer from three types of wood. For the petals - yellow acacia, for the background - simple oak, and for the stamens - bog oak. Of course, you can replace all the named species with other types of veneer, having previously painted them, if necessary, in suitable colors - you have already read in this article how to paint wood.

So, you have applied a mirror pattern to the veneer sheet that will serve as the background. Now cut out nests for petals on the background. Then place yellow locust veneer underneath the cut hole. Using a cutter to trace the hole, apply thin but clearly visible marks to the underlying veneer. Set the background aside, and cut out petals from the acacia tree along the marked marks, which you then insert into the cut-out sockets of the background, securing them on the reverse side with adhesive tape or a piece of paper coated with glue.

The next stage - cutting out and gluing the stamens - is performed in exactly the same way, only instead of acacia, bog oak veneer is taken.
After all the elements of the set are cut out and glued, all further operations are performed in the same way as when setting in the first way. Only when you stick it on the base, you will no longer have a template drawing on top, but adhesive tape or glued pieces of paper.
In conclusion, one piece of advice. Do not try to replace painting with marketing techniques, do not get carried away with portraits and landscapes. Marquetry has its own visual possibilities - emblems and ornaments, for example, look great. And it’s better to use these opportunities.

Marquetry - one of the most expensive, elite and ancient types of decorative and applied art.
Perhaps this is the only type of art that never, i.e. from ancient times to the present day, has not descended from the Olympus of elitism. However, in fairness, it must be said that individual manifestations of this art still penetrated into mass production, but no more.
In general, highly artistic works of this art to this day remain inaccessible even to the so-called middle class. This is 100% Elite class work of art.

In our post-industrial times, the ancient style of marquetry comes to life, sprouts healthy shoots, and I think we will witness its new flourishing in our vast expanses in modern palaces and estates, because “you can’t forbid living beautifully.”

For example, in Europe, this technique and tradition of inlaying furniture facades, wall panels and tabletops has not been interrupted for such a long period as ours, and is one of the components for creating a classic interior, and as you know, classics are always in fashion.

Marquetry is a special wood mosaic technique. Its principle is that plates of valuable wood with a thickness of 1 to 3 mm are glued onto a wood base. These plates are selected in such a way that, due to their different textures and colors, patterns and designs are formed from them.

This technique appeared in the 2nd half of the 16th century in Europe, after the invention of a machine for the production of sawn veneer.

The marquetry technique was brought to Russia by Peter the Great in the 18th century, where it developed to the level of a real art. Russian craftsmen decorated tables, cabinets, doors and other furniture with marquetry mosaics. The most popular subjects for the marquetry technique were floral and plant patterns, patterns of geometric shapes, landscapes and scenes from the Bible.

Marquetry has received its rebirth in our days. Using this technique, designers bring old pieces of furniture back to life, giving them an original and unique look!

The art of marquetry originated in ancient times. Already on objects from the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun one can see inserts made of cedar and ebony.

Armchair from Ancient Egypt

According to the testimony of a Roman historian and writer of the 1st century AD. Pliny the Elder, already in Ancient Greece and Rome, furniture made of simple wood was covered with thin planks of expensive wood.

Marquetry from Mesopotamia

The mosaic elements are cut into the veneer that serves as the background, secured with paper coated with glue, and together with the background they are glued to the surface of the product.

Marquetry combines two processes: intarsia - inserting pieces of veneer of a different type of wood or a different color into the background veneer according to a specific pattern, and veneering - gluing the entire set onto the surface of the product to be decorated. In addition to inserting mosaic elements into the background veneer, there are other ways to perform marquetry.

In medieval Europe, furniture was decorated using the intarsia technique, which is a type of inlay (from the Latin incrustation - “I cover with a layer, bark, lay out with marble”) - a technique for decorating the surface of products with incised images or ornaments made of more valuable materials: semi-precious stones, mother-of-pearl, wood, metal, etc.

After the invention of the jigsaw in 1562 with a wooden frame-holder, the craftsmen began to glue together plates of colored plywood and cut out both the design and the base at the same time.

Machine for the production of sawn veneer.

In the middle of the 17th century. In France, for the first time, mosaic sets were used for cladding, which were made from pieces of veneer according to a preliminary drawing.

The marquetry technique quickly spread throughout all European countries, displacing the previously used intarsia.

In Italy, intarsia flourished in the 15th century, in Germany and France - in the 16th century.

The marquetry technique reached its peak in the 18th century. It was widely used to decorate interiors and furniture.

The use of thin veneer sheets made it possible to decorate not only flat, but also curved surfaces with mosaic sets. An important role in the development of marquetry was played by the French furniture maker Andre Charles Boulle (1642 - 1732), who enriched marquetry by using, along with veneer of valuable wood species, inserts made of brass, copper, ivory, tortoiseshell, and mother-of-pearl.

Boule's technique consisted of placing plates of different materials (for example, metal and tortoise shell) placed on top of each other and clamped in a vice, and sawing them with a jigsaw or cutting them with a knife according to the pattern applied to the top plate. By combining design elements cut from the top plate with background elements cut from the bottom plate, Boule achieved graceful interlocking patterns of shiny metal against a background of tortoiseshell.

The technique of inlaying copper and tin on a tortoise shell was even called the “Boule technique.” The master glued the tortoise and copper plates, sawed out the intended pattern, after which he inserted a copper pattern into the background of the turtle, and a tortoiseshell pattern into the copper background. Thus, all the details matched, and, in addition, waste-free production was achieved.

Being a talented architect, artist and engraver, Boulle designed furniture and carried out all operations associated with its manufacture and decoration. Boulle's workshop, in which his four sons also worked, eventually grew into a large furniture enterprise that produced furniture in the so-called Boulle style.

This furniture - large cabinets, chests of drawers, decorative tables, stands and cases for watches, etc., distinguished by its strict majesty of shape, richness and impeccable quality of finish, is carefully preserved in many museums around the world.

Following Boulle, outstanding marquetry masters Jean François Eben and Jean Henri Riesener worked in France, who used exotic wood species in sets - mahogany, rose and violet wood, amaranth, rosewood, palm, lemon tree, etc.

In Germany at the end of the 18th century. David Roentgen became famous for his impeccable technique of mosaic sets, who created not only sets that decorated furniture, but also decorative wall panels.

In terms of artistic expressiveness, these panels compete with paintings. Wood mosaics have high decorative qualities. With its warmth of color, rich natural pattern, soft noble tones of wood, it attracts people's attention, delivering great aesthetic pleasure.

The heyday of marquetry technique in Russia dates back to the 18th century. If at the beginning of the century, furniture with decorations using this technique was created by visiting specialists, then by the middle of the 18th century, Russian capital and serf craftsmen mastered the marquetry technique so well that the tables and cabinets they created were real works of art.

At first, Peter I sent carpenters to Holland and England to study furniture craft. However, the Russian school was finally formed during the reign of Catherine II. When decorating most of the furniture in the Winter Palace, the artists used the marquetry technique.

The most common decorative themes are various geometric shapes, plant and floral patterns, biblical motifs, landscapes, and genre scenes. To make the works more picturesque, craftsmen began to use techniques such as ignition, tinting, engraving, and etching.

In addition to flowers, still lifes and ornaments, some typesetting panels on this furniture depict views of St. Petersburg, and even views of some estates of Russian nobles: for example, on the tabletop there is a work by Nikifor Vasiliev, the serf master of Count P.B. Sheremetev, a view of his estate in Kuskovo is presented. This is an example of the finest typesetting work, while performing which the master, according to legend, became blind.

In the last quarter of the 18th century, simplicity and the desire to show the natural beauty of the natural pattern of wood were in fashion in furniture making. Products with decoration using the marquetry technique, created in the 19th century, are mainly imitations of products of earlier times or special works made to order.

Recently, the marquetry technique has regained its former popularity and this is understandable. Furniture lined with marquetry looks very stylish and beautiful.

In addition, the marquetry technique allows you to make each piece of furniture unique. Even if the same design or pattern was used when decorating a set of furniture, due to the variety of colors of the veneer used, each item will have a completely unique look.

Marquetry is a wonderful pattern with an ancient history that is popular at all times. What makes them special? What items can be inlaid? And is it really possible to master this marquetry technique on your own? Let's figure it out step by step!

Fabulous beauty by human hands: the principle of marquetry

These intricacies are amazing. As if such mosaic beauty was made not by people at all, but by gods! The marquetry technique is not easy, but it is quite accessible to anyone who has a creative imagination. In fact, everyone who creates a multilayer applique from wood, beads, feathers, petals, sawdust, and sparkles is introduced to the study of the basics of inlay. Products decorated with mosaics will be a great gift for any of the holidays,, or.

The technique for making marquetry is as follows:: Thin figured plates from various types of wood are glued onto a wooden or some other surface that serves as a base. These fragments differ in shade and structure. Thanks to this effect, an original ornament is obtained. In addition to wood, mother-of-pearl, thin ivory plates, various stones, ceramics, and small metal pieces are actively used for the marquetry technique.

Examples of marquetry in the photo that are stunning in their detail:

Where do masterpieces come from?

Marquetry as a decorative technique for making household items and souvenirs originated in Ancient East. At first it served to highlight individual details of figurines (for example, eyes); wood inlay was also used in architecture to decorate buildings.

Later, in Ancient Rome and Greece When products were made from a single-color material, they were decorated with wooden or stone details using the marquetry technique.

In the 9th-13th centuries, the beginnings of marquetry made themselves felt in majestic architecture Italy. The masters of the Renaissance invented and created the richest patterns from jewelry and marble, and actively decorated church utensils.

In the 2nd half of the 16th century, the prerequisites already appeared for the separation of this applied art into a separate channel.

The technique of making marquetry is very popular. The exquisite furniture features the famous Florentine mosaic. In addition to the wooden background, it is based on plates of multi-colored precious and semi-precious stones.

Types of marquetry

The materials that make up the pattern are cut/glued directly into the base itself, which can be any furniture, plywood, blank for a picture, multi-layer plywood. There are two types of inlay:

• intarsia - decorating a wooden base with wood. In this case, the elements that make up the mosaic are cut into the thickness of the base;
• Marquetry - the use of veneer using various materials.

When creating a marquetry mosaic, do not be embarrassed if there are defects in the wood - this will only help you achieve a unique image.

Know that this is a painstaking and lengthy process. Marquetry inlay loves care and absolute precision. Armed with patience, desire, equipment and looking at the photos presented on our website, you can not only understand the marquetry style, but also create a real masterpiece:

• a shining picture;
• decorate furniture;
• gift box;
• or even a family coat of arms.

Many marquetry masters begin by making small wood paintings and panels. This material is pliable, pleasant to the touch, all parts are easily glued to the base. Wooden marquetry paintings are natural, environmentally friendly and durable masterpieces.

And if you want to furnish your apartment with exclusive furniture, in particular, decorate a children’s bed, using marquetry technology, the following tips will be useful to you:

• choose a bed made of natural wood;
• the headboard and footboard of the bed must have sufficient area for hand carving;
• Decorate a children's bedside table in the same style - then you will get a whole set.

Stylish marquetry furniture made from durable wood with your own hands is a long and labor-intensive process. But it will be highly valued by your relatives and will faithfully serve for more than one generation.

Wood mosaics, in which multi-colored intricacies of different wood species are visible, are widely used in the manufacture of souvenirs and gifts. A DIY gift box looks very cute, and you can also decorate it with a wooden mosaic. To make it:

• use clean wood;
• draw an original sketch;
• In addition to carving, decorate the box with stones.

It all depends on the taste of the person for whom the elite gift is intended. For the marquetry technique, it is important that all decorative elements are hard, durable and of high quality.

The family coat of arms, created using the marquetry technique, will become not only an original decoration of the house, but also a family heirloom. This is very delicate work, but the result is worth the effort!

Watch examples of interior design in the YouTube video:

Do-it-yourself wood intarsia: master classes and practical tips

To work marquetry you will need a minimum of materials and tools that everyone can find. In order to make the work easier, we will glue the veneer “cold” - that is, with a homemade press (the “hot” method is not for beginners). You will need these tools:

1. A wallpaper cutting knife with a set of sharp blades is a special tool for DIY marquetry.
2. Two sheets of chipboard, which are one and a half to two centimeters larger in size than your work, are needed for do-it-yourself marquetry.
3. Painting tape.
4. Buttons.
5. Tracing paper is also necessary for creating marquetry with your own hands.
6. Pencil and carbon paper.

Materials that will be used to make marquetry:

A useful video for beginners will help you understand the principle in more detail. To learn how to make a simple marquetry painting, watch this video for beginners from YouTube. The master will clearly and clearly tell you how to make an original star using veneers made of mahogany, ash and birch. This material will be an excellent start to the great art of creating marvelous ornaments:

You can also visit YouTube regularly and keep practicing, as learning marquetry is a multi-step process. The master makes wonderful paintings in this video:

Masterpieces created using the marquetry technique decorate many areas of our lives. These are furniture, paintings, boxes, jewelry and souvenirs. Sergey Rashchupkin talks great about the features of the technology:

Today, young marquetry masters willingly comprehend the subtleties of this art, inspired by the works of their predecessors. Join us too! Rate and share the article with your friends!

Our ancestors decorated wooden fragments with inserts from other wood species, which led to the appearance of new decorative elements and decorations.

Term "marquetry" translated from French as "wooden mosaic". Ancient craftsmen called products made from pieces of wood "wooden set" or "wooden set". Products in the marquetry style can be found even in ancient times. For example, in the tomb of Tutankhamun, researchers discovered products that had inserts made of black wood. However, this approach can only be called a forerunner of marquetry, because in its classic version this technique involves the use of the thinnest veneer plates. The thickness of each plate should be no more than 2-3 mm.

The machine for sawing veneer was designed only in the second half of the 16th century. In those days, the marquetry technique began to actively spread throughout numerous countries. Around the 18th century, it reached Russia. Today, the marquetry technique is not so popular due to the high complexity of assembling products. However, marquetry masters remain - they produce unique custom-made products that look great in modern interiors.

Marquetry techniques

Marquetry includes several techniques:

• Intarsia. This technique uses a wooden panel in which grooves are cut for subsequent gluing of different pieces of wood. Fragments may have different thicknesses. Usually they are quite massive: sometimes up to 2 cm. This approach cannot be called a typical marquetry technique, because it uses the thinnest veneer.
• Facing. Cladding is a method that involves gluing wood onto the surface of various products as decoration.

Scope of application of marquetry mosaic

The scope of application of marquetry is very wide. Wooden mosaics can be found on the surface of furniture and walls; with their help, real works of art can be created.

To work in the marquetry technique, numerous equipment is required: plywood, veneer, cutter, gummer, rolling machine, press, glue, sanding device, etc. The veneer used to create mosaics can have different cuts, which directly affects its decorative qualities. Defects in wood are another great addition to unique images made using the marquetry technique. If you cannot achieve the desired shade, you can resort to etching or staining the veneer.

Creating masterpieces using the marquetry technique is a very painstaking process that requires great perseverance and accuracy. Ready-made interior items decorated with marquetry will have their own look and will perfectly complement the lush interior. But it’s worth remembering that such pleasure will cost you a pretty penny. However, if you want to add exclusivity to your home, then marquetry is the best way to do it.