Adrian CardDecorative Painting

Hand-printed Flemish decorative paper with antique ornamental pattern

Portfolio

Papers

Hand-printed Flemish papers — a tradition of ornamental printing that flourished alongside the great harpsichord makers.

The use of hand-printed papers on Flemish harpsichords dates back to the 1500s, when they were employed as an inexpensive way to imitate the expensive Italian custom of ebony and ivory inlay work. There were several pattern books with designs by people like Virgil Solis, Balthazar Sylvius and Francesco Pellegrini, which were then copied by printers.

I carve the designs (taken directly from the original instruments when possible) onto blocks of pear wood, and then print them using the same sort of printing ink that would have been used in the 1500s and 1600s; namely lampblack (soot) mixed with linseed oil.

The Patterns

Pattern One (Dolphin)

Pattern One (Dolphin)

Hand-printed from a carved pear wood block using lampblack and linseed oil ink, in the tradition of the Flemish harpsichord workshops.

Pattern Two

Pattern Two

Hand-printed from a carved pear wood block using lampblack and linseed oil ink, in the tradition of the Flemish harpsichord workshops.

Pattern Three (Dolphin, white on black)

Pattern Three (Dolphin, white on black)

Hand-printed from a carved pear wood block using lampblack and linseed oil ink, in the tradition of the Flemish harpsichord workshops.

Pattern Four (Ruckers)

Pattern Four (Ruckers)

Hand-printed from a carved pear wood block using lampblack and linseed oil ink, in the tradition of the Flemish harpsichord workshops.

Pattern Five

Pattern Five

Hand-printed from a carved pear wood block using lampblack and linseed oil ink, in the tradition of the Flemish harpsichord workshops.

Pattern Six

Pattern Six

Hand-printed from a carved pear wood block using lampblack and linseed oil ink, in the tradition of the Flemish harpsichord workshops.

Pattern Seven

Pattern Seven

Hand-printed from a carved pear wood block using lampblack and linseed oil ink, in the tradition of the Flemish harpsichord workshops.

Pattern Eight

Pattern Eight

Hand-printed from a carved pear wood block using lampblack and linseed oil ink, in the tradition of the Flemish harpsichord workshops.

Pattern Nine

Pattern Nine

Hand-printed from a carved pear wood block using lampblack and linseed oil ink, in the tradition of the Flemish harpsichord workshops.

Pattern Ten

Pattern Ten

Hand-printed from a carved pear wood block using lampblack and linseed oil ink, in the tradition of the Flemish harpsichord workshops.

Availability

Several of these papers are available for sale. They are printed by hand onto high quality 100% cotton rag paper. Contact me about pricing and availability.