The art and craft of straw marquetry

Above: Laura Inguaggiato in her studio. Photo: Sid Marin 

Words: Laura Inguaggiato

Straw marquetry is a centuries old craft that sees the use of straw applied to furniture and other objects in decorative patterns. Its popularity has waxed and waned, however today marquetries of ribbon-thin, flattened straw may be seen in some of the most luxurious homes, shops and hotels, as a new aesthetic that offers vivid and mesmerising colours and patterns.

Woodward Hotel, Geneva interior designed by Pierre- Yves Rochon with Lison de Caunes straw marquetry panels. Photo: Gaëlle le Boulicaut

Knowledge lost and found

Straw marquetry is thought to have originated in Asia before appearing in Europe in the 17th century. The technique spread rapidly, and after an adaptation to European tastes, quickly became popular in bourgeois circles where it was used on a range of substrates. Examples of this are the wood and cardboard boxes created for special occasions and religious celebrations.

Another example are the Easter eggs covered in straw marquetry which are still a common tradition in Eastern Europe. Unfortunately only a few antique testimonies to straw-covered objects have survived, possibly due to the perishable substrates they were applied to, and perhaps also because they were not as highly valued as their wood marquetry counterparts.

Florescence Collection coffee table and boxes by A&A, Adam Goodrum and Arthur Seigneur. Photo: Andrew Curtis

Straw marquetry was once even called ‘the gold of the poor’ due to the bright and modest nature of this material, indicating that it was probably used for reasons of economy rather than preference.

Although some European craftspeople produced straw- covered objects, this was more often done by nuns, convicts and sailors as an extra income sideline. During the Napoleonic wars, straw marquetry became more common due to the large numbers of prisoners kept in European jails. Great examples of incredibly delicate artworks made by convicts can still be found today. The 18th and early 19th centuries are considered the most refined period for straw marquetry, even if it was still regarded more as a folk art rather than a high-level craft.

Lison de Caunes, Egg Collection. Photo: Gilles Trillard

After being forgotten for decades, straw marquetry regained in popularity during the Art Deco period in France thanks to the designers Paul Poiré, André Groult and Jean Michel Frank.

For the first time straw appeared on expensive furniture and on wall panels inside luxury apartments, and thus entered the world of high-end craftsmanship. This trend became widespread, especially in France. Jean Cocteau, the famous French writer and artist, even said that Jean Michel Frank was the man who had put Parisian society sur la paille, an expression meaning ‘put on straw’ and  signifying financial ruin. But once again this popularity faded, and straw marquetry was once more neglected, after the Art Deco movement ended.

Straw marquetry artist and ambassador Lison de Caunes with her collection of antique straw marquetry objects. Photo courtesy Lison de Caunes

It was only in the 1980s, when Lison de Caunes, Andre Groult’s granddaughter, started to work on the recognition for this art form that straw marquetry re-emerged again in the furniture industry. Surrounded since childhood by straw-covered objects, and influenced by the work of her grandfather, she started by restoring straw Art Deco furniture, which was back in fashion, and worked to promote this craft by making contemporary creations with a modern aesthetic.

It took Lison de Caune many years, however today straw marquetry is recognised throughout the world as a refined craft. There are now dozens of straw marquetry workshops on almost every continent, developing their own techniques and aesthetics. Straw marquetry today has even crossed the border between craft and modern art with the sculptural furniture of Adam and Arthur, the award winning Australian duo, Adam Goodrum and Arthur Seigneur.

Showing the materials and tools required. Photo: Sid Marin

Straw types

Straw has always been used in housing, from roofs to mattresses and chair seats. For marquetry, rye straw is most often used, although rice and wheat straw can also be used. The main producers of rye straw suitable for marquetry are based in France, where only a few farmers still grow it. Straw grown for bread is destroyed during the harvest process, while straw used for marquetry is carefully cut before grain formation. The strands are then dried, sorted, and dyed, usually by the grower as well.

The marquetry produced is subject to the natural variation of the material. In some years, the straw will be longer
and denser, in others it will be darker, thicker or thinner. As every single strand is unique, the variety of the natural shades of the straw remain visible even when dyed, and lend a natural beauty to the marquetry produced.

Another characteristic of this material is its brightness. Once flattened, straw becomes an incredibly shiny material as it contains a fine layer of silica on its outer surface, making it soft and smooth. This natural phenomenon exempts straw creations from requiring an applied finish, as this silica coating makes it naturally durable and water-resistant.

Technique rediscovered

As a long-forgotten craft, it’s been a case of each craftsperson rediscovering the technique and making their own innovations. The basics however are common to all and require only a few hand tools.

For a simple pattern, the only equipment required is a bone (or plastic) ‘folder’, PVA glue, a brush, scalpel, ruler and rags.

The first step is to flatten the straw. Each strand is split and pressed on a board with a bone folder in a continuous flattening movement. Careful preparation of the material is a repetitive and time-consuming but essential – well- flattened straw will achieve a high-quality composition.

After flattening, gluing comes next. Each ribbon is glued in sequence on its matt side with a thin layer of PVA and gently pressed with the bone folder.

A continuous back and forth movement of the folder not only helps to flatten the straw onto the surface, but also allows the glue to heat up and adhere more quickly.

After the first strand is well glued the others are glued edge to edge by repeating the same procedure until the composition is done.

The complexity of straw marquetry is embodied in this simple action. For quality work each strand must be glued without any visible gaps and there must not be any overlapping so each strand fully adheres and won't loosen over time. This really is the tricky part, even for an experienced craftsperson, but the more you work with straw the more your sight and your sense of touch will learn to feel all those imperfections and prevent you from doing it.

As straw is a natural material and not always straight, cutting a bit off the strands after gluing will allow you to work from a straight line again, and help avoid overlapping.

The final step is the cleaning and finishing of the marquetry. To remove any glue residue the work is firmly wiped with a small cloth with a little moisture added to remove any stains. Friction will remove glue from straw with its silica coating, however it’s really important to not wipe too strongly or to add too much moisture to avoid damaging the work. Once everything has been cleaned, the piece can be flattened again with the bone folder to create a soft unified appearance. As mentioned, there is absolutely no need or recommendation to sand or varnish straw marquetry, as this will destroy the thin silica layer and make the straw less shiny and moisture resistant.

Vertigo, made and photographed by Moea Vonsy

The process may seem simple however a lot of practice is required to make even a basic pattern look good. It has been said that straw marquetry is one of those ‘easy to learn, hard to master’ crafts and while this should in no way dissuade you from trying, you will quickly realise there is truth in that saying.

Learn more at: Lapin Furniture https://www.lapinfurniture.com/ Lison de Caunes https://www.lisondecaunes.com/en/ and Adam and Arthur: https://www.adamandarthur.com/

Laura Inguaggiato @laura_inguaggiato began her career at Ateliers Lison de Caunes in Paris after completing a degree in fine furniture making and design in France. She then worked for Adam and Arthur in Melbourne on straw marquetry and project monitoring, ‘blending the frontier between art and craft and mixing traditional high-end skills with new technology’. She also works on her own projects in wood and straw at Lapin Furniture, a homeware and furniture workshop she set up with Louen Pinpin. Her past work has been exhibited during Paris Design Week and techniques she has developed were published in Australian Wood Review#118.