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A Short Introduction into the History of Paper Filigree

Technique of Paper Filigree

Paper filigree is an art technique based on the usage and manipulation of paper or narrow paper strips to create decoratively designed shapes. The paper is rolled, folded, pressed, looped, curled, twisted, and otherwise manipulated to create an intricate design for decoration. The process usually starts with rolling one strip of narrow paper into a coil, and then squeezing the coil into shapes that can thus be glued together onto a desired surface, to form a desired element of an art composition

The History of Paper Filigree

It is difficult to pinpoint precisely the history of paper filigree. Different sources on the earliest paper filigree art works and their composition are merely but hearsay, hence, there are but a few available pieces of evidence to support the exact period of their emergence. While some sources claim it all started soon after the invention of paper, in China in 105 AD, others suggest the existence of paper filigree in ancient Egypt as early as the 13th century. Whatever the case, precious metals had already been widely used to create artwork by the technique of metal filigree, hence we can be sure of one thing: the technique of paper filigree has a rich history and has been in use in numerous parts of the world for a long time.

The King George III quilled cabinet
he King George III Paper Scroll Tea Caddy
Photos: https://www.mfordcreech.com

According to some sources, the earliest pieces of preserved paper filigree artworks were displayed in exhibitions in London in 1927, and in 1988 at the sales-exhibition manifestation in New York; on that occasion, the Florian-Papp Gallery displayed a fascinating collection of paper filigree artworks.

On the other hand, in 1974, in their book “Quilling: paper art for everyone,” Betty Christy and Dorris Tracy revealed art pieces created before the 17th century which were published in the 17th century books.

However, it is widely believed that paper filigree emerged in the 15th and 16th century when the French and Italian nuns conceived the practice to decorate sacred relics and holy paintings by adding gold embellishments to their filigree works of art. Once painted and gilded, and observed from the distance, these oeuvres resembled metal filigree artwork. Such designs were also found in English churches and religious objects dating back to that time.

The creativity of human nature was confirmed by another exemplary piece of paper filigree art: a portrait of the English actress, Sarah Siddons (1755-1831), today at display at one of the most prestigious and leading world art and design museums, the Victoria and Albert Museum in England.

Portrait of Sarah Siddons, the plaque
Detail of existing quills
The frame complete with new quills
Photos: Simon Fleury, Victoria and Albert Museum, England

Along with the prestigious English museum, numerous other museums present pieces of the ancient art of filigree in their exhibition brochures. In addition, it is certain that the process of disclosing and confirming new pieces of these antique artworks of paper filigree are constantly on an update status.

Finally, it also has been noted throughout history that paper filigree was not in practice by the working class, but rather by high-class society women, who not only practiced it but also brought it to its perfection. They would initially embellish their dresses, hats and purses, while later they would purposely use this technique to decorate majority of their opulent homes.

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07/07/2021
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I am Viktorija Janić, a visual artist, human being with a creative mind who not only enjoys her work - I passionately love what I do. I love to unique creative passion. I dedicated the second half of my life to creating work of art on a two or three-dimensional surface using various tools, paper, glue, paint and my own hands, while creating something that can evoke an emotional response or can stimulate the observer's intellect, or it could be both.

Copyright © Viktorija Janić 2022. All rights reserved.