Wood Processes - Marquetry
The veneers are cut into pieces and put together to form a picture or pattern. Different coloured woods act like different coloured paints, and some lighter coloured woods are dyed different colours. Have a look at the panels by Francesco Abbiati to see if you agree.
There are different techniques for making marquetry that have changed as technology and materials have developed. Cabinet-makers such as Riesener who made the drop-front desk, would have used a similar technique to this process:
- First a design was drawn on the wood and cut out using a fine saw called a fret saw.
- The veneers were placed in hot sand to darken parts and give a shadow effect, making it more three-dimensional.
- The pattern was put together and each piece was glued onto paper to keep it in place.
- The whole pattern was then traced onto the background veneer and that was cut with a small knife.
- The pattern was slotted into the background and each individual piece was glued in place.
It takes a marqueteur many years to perfect the skill needed to make such detailed and beautiful decoration.