A short history of wallpaper

Historical recordings of wallpaper in Europe date to 1481, when ‘Grand Rouleaux’ was hung at French King Louis IX’s preferred residence, the Royal Château de Plessis-lèz-Tours. This wallpaper consisted of 1m long sheets of paper, pasted together and painted by hand. 

In 1483 King Richard III of England banned the import of painted paper, a law which remained in place until a customs duty replaced it in 1712. The introduction of taxes on the manufacturing of printed, painted, or stained paper highlights the popularity of wallpaper as a form of decoration. The 16th century also marks the commencement of the mass-production of wallpaper, via a process known as block printing which remained the dominant method for 300 years.

Learn more about block printing in our previous article.

Famous French printmaker Jean-Baptiste Réveillon (1725-1811) produced wallpapers for the aristocracy and dominated the European market, even after his factory was sacked during the French Revolution and he was forced to flee to England. In 1783 Réveillon promoted his business by collaborating with the Montgolfier brothers, inventors of the hot air balloon. Constructed from cotton canvas and printed paper featuring the King’s cypher, the balloon was launched at Versailles with a sheep, duck, and cockerel as passengers. 

Wallpaper sales increased in the wake of the French Revolution as people sought new ways to display their social status and wealth, without incorporating the ostentatious tapestries and embossed leather decorations of their predecessors. 

Developments in the mid-17th century enabled single printed sheets to be joined as long rolls and, as the popularity of block printing and decorative arts within the home increased, innovative finishes such as flock were introduced. Created to imitate cut velvet and damask textiles, wool fibres were sprinkled into areas of the design to form a soft, piled surface in lieu of paint, imparting a luxurious appearance.

The industry flourished in the mid-18th century as manufacturers pushed the boundaries of colour, style, and pattern, leading to exclusive collections of luxurious papers being developed and sold to boutique retailers. Floral motifs remained most popular but became more intricate, detailed, and richer in colour as more inventive architectural and mural landscapes were created. It was extremely rare not to see wallpaper in English estates by the late 18th century, as interiors became defined by complex styling and diverse colours. 

The enduring popularity and laborious method of block printing led to the invention of surface printing in 1839 by Potter & Ross, Lancashire. Although initially considered inferior to the bold colours and complex designs produced by block printing, manufacturers welcomed the remarkable speed of production which made wallpaper an accessible commodity.

Learn more about flock and surface printing in our previous article.

As the demand for mass produced wallpapers grew, expensive and unique wallpapers were developed and exported to Europe from China. Decorated rice paper was pasted onto walls in China as early as the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE), so it is no surprise that the superior craftsmanship, colouration, and technical skill displayed in these wallpapers defined their much-deserved luxury status.

From the late 17th century, elaborate ‘chinoiserie’ designs were painted to depict idyllic landscapes, daily activities, and exotic plant and birdlife on a grand scale. Leading French wallpaper designer Jean Zuber (1773-1835) was inspired by the panoramic Chinese scenes and found fame in Europe with his ‘Vues de Suisse’ design. Zuber are the last manufacturer in the world to produce block printed panoramas and this eight-panel scene remains in production today, still being printed using the 1024 antique woodblocks carved in 1804.

European manufacturers invested in imitating these extraordinary scenes and unusual flora and fauna before venturing into more innovative finishes and a variety of effects such as marble, woodgrain, and stucco.

An affinity with naturalism, the decorative arts, and a desire for luxury in the home led designer, writer, and political thinker, Williams Morris (1834-1894), to tap into this developing commodity and eventually become the most famous English designer.

Condemning the mechanisation of the 19th century, he sought to revive traditional crafts of illustration and fabric design. Altering the interiors industry by dismissing the severity of geometric, restrained, and often unanimated patterning in favour of rhythmic, fluid forms that mimicked his observations of nature. Referencing plants found in the English countryside he played on his customer’s connection to the landscape and encouraged all classes to desire beauty in their homes, where rich pattern and colour began to represent success and wealth.

Founder of the Arts & Crafts movement, Morris was a committed socialist who fought for social reform and although he did not achieve his aim of sharing his work with the masses, from the 20th century wallpaper adorned the entrances, living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms of the wealthy, bourgeoisie, and working classes.

The increasing pressure for manufacturers to outshine each other’s design capabilities, illusionism, and colouration led to the creation of dangerous yet brilliant pigments such as Scheele’s Green and Prussian Blue. 

During the 19th century, it was widely published that the colour green was of ‘ideal taste’ and every home should select this shade in wallpaper. This caused scientist Carl Wilhelm Scheele’s striking yellowish/green pigment ‘Scheele’s Green’ to be enhanced by industrial amounts of arsenic, adding further vibrancy to the hue.

Soon after its introduction unknown illnesses, respiratory issues, and even deaths began to emerge and increase at a rapid rate. As heating was rare and homes were often damp with poor air circulation due to outside pollution, fungal activity would develop, releasing toxic gases and microscopic airborne particles from the wallpaper.

Arsenic was also used in clothing, carpets, candles, and toys, and societal pressure led many manufacturers to remove arsenic from the colour process and to advertise their products as ‘arsenic-free.’ However, as some had made significant investments in arsenic mines, they refused to accept evidence that their products caused death.  

Through the process of developing and refining a commodity, unforeseen and sometimes devastating issues can arise. Experimentations with colour were intended to create a more desirable product and whilst the deadly consequences could have destroyed wallpapers longevity in the market, the public’s desire to use wallpaper to display luxury and success continued to evolve in the following centuries.