The Art of French Wallpaper Design

Invented in the 16th century, the process of wallpaper creation was once a tedious task, involving the repetitive stamping of carved blocks on to small sheets of paper that were then affixed to the wall. Technical developments in subsequent centuries, such as the use of large rolls of paper and mechanical printing presses, simplified this process, and the industry experienced a particular boom in France in the 18th and 19th centuries. The RISD Museum is exploring this intriguing but little-explored period of design history with a display of more than 100 fragments of salvaged wallpaper, borders and preparatory designs (16 November–11 May 2025). To further capture the painstaking process of wallpaper making in France at the time, the museum has partnered with the New York-based manufacturer Adelphi Paper Hangings, which has recreated a historic wallpaper design using traditional woodblock techniques.

Find out more from the RISD Museum’s website.
Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary

Wallpaper with birds and flowers (c. 1770), China. RISD Museum, Providence

View of Venice Wallpaper (c. 1840), France. RISD Museum, Providence

Hearing (L’Ouie) Wallpaper (c. 1780), Jean-Baptiste Réveillon. RISD Museum, Providence