Origin of Wallpaper

Early in the 16th century, an inventive genius, probably living in Italy, observed that the decorated paper that was used for lining books might be developed into a cheap and beautiful means of wall decoration. It is still today the world's most popular covering for walls. However, it was a full hundred years before it was in general use, and it did not take its present "rolled" form until the 18th century.

Tapestry had formerly been favored for wall decoration north of the Alps, especially in France, but Italy always preferred velvets and damasks. The great cost of tapestry, velvet, damask, and leather, which was tooled, painted, and gilded, put them beyond the read of most people and led to the adoption of paper hangings as substitutes of more modest means.

The earliest papers for covering wk-printed and colored by hand with stencils.  Walls were probably derived from domino, checkered, or marbled papers, made in sheets about 12 x 16 inches, for linings of books. by the middle of the 16th century it was a common custom in France to cover walls with these sheets. Flat-headed nails held them in place.

The sheets, called "painted paper," were block printed and color by hand by stencils. Checks, wave line, and colors seldom matched. Designers and manufacturers quickly saw the disadvantages of the small sheets and the consequent disjointed patterns.

Improvement in matching patterns was made by the middle of the 17th century, and continuous rolls, made by pasting sheets end to end, were in use by 1750. Rolls of the type common today were not made until the following century, and were not permitted in England before 1830 because of the lucrative revenue tax on sheet paper.

Another great improvement was that of painting colors by successively applied blocks. this process demanded great skill, yet it was more rapid than stenciling by hand.

"Flock papers," a type of wall paper in imitation of velvet and tapestry, were sized and then covered with fine chopped wool by a process of blowing. They were very much in vogue in England, and were sent to France in great numbers at the end of the 18th century. The French used chopped silk in the same way to imitate damask. The designs and colors of these papers were closely copied from the beautiful materials for which they were substitutes. They were rarely pasted upon walls, but generally placed upon linen, which was stretched across movable wooden frames set against walls.

During the second half of the 18th century, panel papers came into fashion, and great artists designed them. The panels, each had a complete scene, were fitted into the various wall spaces of a room. They were bordered by a molding, and each had a certain amount of plain background upon it. They were often printed with oil colors. Subjects such as Venetian scenes, roman ruins, reproductions of well-known paintings in full color, and statues in black and white were among the most popular.

These led to the costly secenic papers, which had a great vogue in France and America, but were never popular in England. They are still expensive because of the greatest care and skill that is called for in printing from hundres of hand-manipulated blocks.

Outside of Europe, the art of designing and making beautiful wallpaper was notably advanced by the Chinese. The great trading companies, Dutch East India, English East India, and the French East India,k introduced to Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries to the beauty of oriental wares. They flooded the West with a great variety of interesting and lovely merchandise.

Among the articles were fascinating hand painted Chinese papers. The earlier ones had for their subjects, flowers, and birds. The later, after 1750, consisted of landscapes and figures.

The charm of Chinese wallpapers is due to bright harmonious colors, a general lightness of tone which increases the sense of brightness, and rich creamy backgrounds that suggest the finest of porcelain.

The story of American wallpaper before and since the American Revolution is a record both of foreign influence and of native originality. At first, of course, imported papers were the only ones to be gotten. by 1750, however, a Philadelphia maker had established a good business in manufacturing them. Soon thereafter manufacturers in other cities increased the industry.

In style, they followed pretty closely the papers made abroad, but native ability and taste soon combined to create a variety of new styles, just as they did in furniture and silver.

If we want to use wall paper the the best advantage in our homes, we should ask ourselves these questions when selecting the design to be used in a particular room:

• Is the room large or small, light or dark?
• Is it a living room, bedroom, dining room, or staircase hall?
• Is it a room that will be used all the time, or is it a "company" room?
• Has it a cool or warm exposure?
• Do we want it cheerful or stately?

Additionally, there are several well-established principles in determining the right wallpaper:

• Never choose a wallpaper just because it appeals to you in the store.
• Get several samples of wallpaper that you like and put them up in the room to be decorated.
• You may find a paper that is beautiful in itself, but will not harmonize with the place for which you want it.
• Or you may discover that the pattern repeats itself so frequently that it is very tiresome, or that it is built on diagonal lines which carry your eyes back and forth from the floor to the ceiling in a way that makes you dizzy.
• It is helpful to keep in mind that each room in your home has a use and "personality" distinct from all the others, and you will enhance its personality by choosing a wallpaper that fits the room's particular role.