March wallpaper is the perfect way to decorate your home for the month of March. These aesthetic wallpapers are perfect for your desktop and can also be used as a lock screen on your phone. You can find them here!
The Origins of Wallpaper
The origins of wallpaper date back to around 105 A.D., when a Chinese court official named Tsai Lun developed a mixture of linen, hemp, mulberry bark and bamboo fibers to make paper that could be glued to walls. It was soon used to display scenes of genealogy, gods and natural paradises.
Wealthy people imported hand painted papers from China to decorate their homes, and some examples still exist in palaces and country houses around the world. English and French manufacturers imitated this style, often starting with a printed outline which was then coloured in by hand.
In the eighteenth century, block printing became the main technique for producing wallpapers in Britain. The printers used carved wood blocks to dip into a pigment then pressed onto the paper. The block printing method required great strength and stamina and it was not cheap.
Eventually, more efficient printing methods were introduced in the nineteenth century making wallpapers more affordable to the common consumer. New techniques and processes also meant that thousands of yards of wallpaper could be produced in a day.
As wallpapers became cheaper, more consumers began to use them as a decorative option in their own homes. This trend was not permanent however as paints became more popular and homeowners started choosing them over wallpaper, causing a decline in wallpaper production in the 1800s.
When the industrial revolution began, the invention of a 4 colour roller printing machine made it possible to print 400 rolls of wallpaper in a single day and the new process greatly influenced pattern design. This was much faster than the previous method and the rollers were designed to work with oil based inks that would flow smoothly across the rollers and coat the paper evenly.
The designs in wallpapers varied from traditional florals to stylized patterns and panoramic views of antique architecture and exotic landscapes, often with motifs that were reminiscent of Chinese art and culture. It was a fashionable way to dress up a room and a staple of the Victorian Era.
The 1920s saw a boom in the wallpaper industry, resulting in an explosion of different prints, colors and styles. This was the “Golden Age of Wallpaper,” during which about 400 million rolls were sold, but it was not a popular choice with the Modern Era, as it was easy to damage. Plastic resins were added to the wallpaper industry after WWII, making it more durable and tougher.
The Early History of Wallpaper
The earliest known wallpapers date back to China, where the Chinese invented paper and glued it onto their walls around 200 B.C. They were decorated with images of landscapes and flowers painted on rice paper, while later people in the Middle East made paper from linen instead of rice.
Paper making techniques improved, and the invention of linen fibres meant that more complex designs could be produced. This led to more expensive wall coverings being used by the rich and famous.
Early printed wallpapers were hand block-printed in small sheets, each carrying a single design, or several blocks producing a pattern spread across many sheets. This process was used in the Middle Ages to create decorative wallpaper, and the technique remained popular with the poorer classes.
During the 19th century, advances in printing technology and an interest in exotic styles of design made it possible for more affordable paper to become widely available. A new copper roller was developed that could print four colors and produce 400 rolls of wallpaper per day. Oil based inks were also developed that would flow smoothly onto the rollers and coat the paper evenly.
A new technique called rotary printing also became more popular in the mid-nineteenth century, using a cylinder and roller to produce a raised design on the wallpaper. This method was cheaper to use than hand block-printing, and it also allowed for a greater variety of patterns.
Some printers also used a technique to create realistic imitations of paintings. These patterns often mimicked drapery, sculpture, ornamental carving and other architectural details.
Another style favored by early wallpaper manufacturers was the use of solid colors in a wide range of shades, ranging from blue to green. These plain papers had the advantage of hiding cracks, stains and other imperfections that were not easily visible with paint.
Chinoiserie, which was influenced by the Chinese tradition of painting rice papers with beautiful oriental flowers, birds and landscapes, began to be popular in Europe during the 17th century. These wallpapers were hung as panels and framed with gilt edges.
The Early Modern Period
The Early Modern period saw the invention of printing and increased literacy rates. It also saw the rise of scientific inquiry and new religious beliefs. These changes helped create a more secular society in Europe.
Artists and artisans played a key role in the development of the Scientific Revolution. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, they provided art that embodied the aims and methods of natural science. They strove to make nature more accessible and understandable through their work, establishing an authoritative voice for natural phenomena that complemented the authority of kings and church authorities.
In the seventeenth century, they helped to shape the aims of the Scientific Revolution by providing new forms of art that articulated a new kind of authority for nature. Their artworks also aided in the creation of a burgeoning culture of natural history study and collecting.
These artists and artisans worked in a range of places, including workshops and learned societies. They shared their knowledge of painting and drawing through oral communication, through the production of material objects such as tracings, and through manuscripts containing recipes.
Despite the differences in language, geography, and context, these copying practices contributed to the creation of new knowledge across Europe. The articles in this special issue explore how copying and its various guises in England, France, Italy, the Low Countries, and Germany shaped processes of creating knowledge.
While the process of copying has often been viewed as a negative one, it is important to remember that early modern artists and natural philosophers understood that it was essential to their practice. They believed that the process of copying and reproduction were essential to the formation of new ideas.
The Early Modern period is a fascinating time to investigate how copying and its various guises shaped processes of making knowledge. By looking at a variety of images produced in artist workshops, learned societies, and publishing houses, and compared to the texts and terminologies surrounding them, these articles seek to examine the significance of copying for the making of knowledge during this time.
This issue focuses on the role of copying in early modern European art and natural philosophy, and includes articles by artists and scholars from across Europe. The articles discuss a wide range of topics, including the relationship between natural philosophy and image reproduction, the role of images in constructing a sense of place, the relationship between visuality and textual meaning, and the impact of copying on pedagogy. By examining these questions, we hope to shed light on how artists and natural philosophers used copying in their work and how it helped to build new understanding of the world around them.
The Modern Period
The modern period of wallpaper saw an emergence of the ‘Aesthetic’ movement, which advocated designs with natural and simple designs. The style was a big hit in the late 1880s, but it soon proved too expensive for the working class to afford.
Luckily, designers such as William Morris took on the task of providing this design to the masses. The Aesthetic movement was a big move in wallpaper fashion – it was the first time that a design was based on simple and natural motifs rather than more formal, symmetrical styles.
It also marked the first time that machine-printed wallpapers were mass produced and made available to the masses. The invention of the steam engine allowed factories to produce wallpaper at a quicker rate, so that it became affordable to those who could not afford the more expensive hand-printed versions.
In terms of patterns, the most popular designs in this period were floral prints. These often contained finely coloured roses and carnations, but also included architectural and landscape scenes.
One of the most visually impressive wallpapers of this era was a paper from Doddington Hall which contains framed figures and landscapes, all interspersed with a colourful array of flowers.
Another aesthetically pleasing pattern of this period was the damask. This incredibly classic design is now on the rise again, and is a good example of the power of combining classical heritage with digital printing technology to create a truly cinematic look.
We are proud to offer this’stunning’ damask print in both traditional non-pasted wallpaper and PVC-free wallpaper options. This wallpaper can be hung in both vertical and horizontal orientations, making it perfectly suited to any room in your home.
For those who have been working hard to achieve their goals in 2019, March is a great time to relax and rejuvenate. Take some time out to reflect on what you have achieved so far, and prepare for the new challenges of 2020! You’ll thank yourself later!
