Exhibition

[Beyond the walls] Japonism and Asian decorations in papier-mâché furniture

In partnership with the Prémontrés Abbey for their “Samurai. Myths, cult and culture” exhibition which will take place from May 21st to October 6th , the “Au fil du papier” museum will display a part of their collection of lacquered furniture made in papier-mâché with Asia-inspired decoration. After Japan opened its doors to the rest of the world in the second half of the 19th century and thanks to the development of new industrial techniques, European manufacturers were able to produce, on a larger scale, lacquered objects, notably made out of papier-mâché and inspired by Asia, which were very popular at the time. The European papier-mâché industry produced an increasing number of objects based on Chinese and Japanese patterns, leading to a new fashion in European home decoration.

 

About the “Au fil du papier » museum

Opened since 1999, the municipal museum presents original collections based on four themes. The visitor will discover the history of Pont-à-Mousson, a city deeply marked by the foundation of the first University of Lorraine in 1572, the Pont-à-Mousson foundries, the working-class imagery of Pont-à-Mousson, but also a rich collection of papier-mâché objects that are unique in France. More than a hundred works show the surprising plasticity of this material and the great refinement of these objects, especially the “Queen Victoria” salon (1860-1870), one of the most spectacular examples of refinement.

 

Organization : "Au fil du papier " museum of Pont-à-Mousson in partnership with Prémontrés Abbey cultural centre.