Art Institute of Chicago Marquetry videos

These are just great videos to explain the techniques of the masters of the golden age of marquetry.

Many thanks to the Art Institute Chicago, the sponsors and to the modern day masters who have demonstrated here for making them available for us to learn from and enjoy.

We had a bet on who would comment first, thanks to you I won a lunch. You are really nice to us buddy.

I am humbled and inspired by your work! Thank you for posting! You are very talented!

Nate

Great videos Patrice, and kudos to the Art Institute of Chicago for producing them. Into my you tube favorites they go.

Now a question, why is Patrick shown cutting the Boulle piece on the foot powered saw vs the chevalet, and why are you cutting the Roentgen piece by hand with a fretsaw? Is this the way the original marquetry was produced?

By the way you look very clean shaven in the video…what happened lately???

The chevalet did not exist at that time, there was the donkey which was the sit and clamp without the saw frame and carriage. Patrick decided to use the pedal saw as a guess it could exist at that period to saw those huge and heavy panel.
On my side, the donkey was more french than german for what my research showed, so I chose to be conservative and not expect Roentgen will use parisian style technique but I could have used a donkey but not a chevalet.
I read a lot of research on Roentgen, it was hand sawn elements in 1 sheet of veneer dyed separately and incrusted in a hand carved background. Both the outside of the elements and the cut on the background where conical slightly exaggerated for a better fit, so the front will have almost no gap but the back usually has way more.
For the shaving, you it just grows and when food starts to get stuck, or a flower start growing or a bird is looking for a nest, I cut it. And this was not clean shave, I do not own any shaving implement only a trimmer.
Clean shaved, come on Mat, we french have a reputation to defend in the US as the dirtiest population in the world, so I work hard on the legend just to not disappoint.

Patrice, it is great to see the post and the videos are super! Wonderfull work to you and Patrick.
I wish that they had made it longer so I could see more detail!
I am extremely intrigued by Roentgen, as I think that they produced the best marquetry ever. I too have the book that the Met just put out. I want to learn more about the Roentgen process. I hope that you can explain the process more in depth. Keep up the great work!

Frank

Mat, Here is an independent confirmation the foot pedal saw was certainly used in Boulle period from Pierre Ramond latest book on Boulle.

Here are couple page of that book on the subject with rough translations



"[...] This scroll saw enables the cutting of big surfaces as it is not limited by a small throat. This system is very old and was used a lot by German marquetry makers and is still in use in the East of France. It was probable that a apparatus of that style was used in Boulle's workshop."



"In André-Charles Boulle's workshop the horizontal chevalet (scroll saw) is the most used. The marquetry packs built with wood, turtleshell, horn, and metals, each layer 1 to 2 mm (1/24 to 1/12 of an inch) thick, are heavy and of large dimensions. They are therefore hard to maintain on a vertical clamp (donkey)"



"The horizontal chevalet, with sliding frame is the scrollsaw ancester. This tool was most probably used under Louis the XIVth to cut Boulle marquetry and painting in wood."

I might just have to make one of those.
Hmmmm….

Thanks for the follow up on my question Patrice…that certainly seems to back up the choice to use the foot saw on the video. Thanks for the translations…my high school french is very rusty

I'm intrigued by the drawings of the foot pedal saw, especially on the first page. What Ramond volume is that out of?

Paul..you will probably post one of these next week at the rate you whip these projects together. Ha!

Mat

It is a a new book we haven't bought yet

http://www.editionsvial.com/fiche-produit.php?rub=2&srub=25&id_livre=202

Hi Patrice … many thanks for these very informative videos! It was fascinating to watch … especially to see the horizontal chevalet actually in use!! I remember seeing photos of this ancient scroll saw and was interested many years ago in having one built as I loved the open throat feature. Alas … I've become way too spoiled with my Excalibur scroll saw

Hey thanks for the link Patrice…there is a nice PDF preview of the book there with some nice pictures and tracings. Great stuff!