Pretty Papier Mache – Arts & Crafts of India and the World

Continuing with our new series – ‘Arts & Crafts of India and the World’, today the third article is on ‘Papier Mache’.

Papier mache in french means ‘mashed paper’ but though it sounds ‘frenchie’, papier mache has it’s origins in China. Examples have been found dating back to the Han Dynasty (BC 202 – AD 220). The art moved to Samarkand and Morocco in the 8th century and, in the tenth century, it became well known in Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Persia and India.

The French innovated the technique and started creating cups and snuff boxes. By the 18th century, Birmingham became a major centre and trays, tables, chairs, lamps, book shelves, wall decoration, screens, bed frames were regularly made from Papier Mache.

The lacquer work was mostly on a bolack background with patterns of flowers, with gilding and inlay with nacre.

In France and Germany Papier Mache furniture was very popular. In America one manufacturer made boats. Russia and Scandinavia also developed their own industries. In 1793 in Norway a church, made in Papier Mache stood for 37 years. George Washington himself intended to use this material for the ceilings of his house in Mount Vernon.

Papier mache came to India in the 15th century when King Zain-ul-Abidin invited accomplished artists from Central Asia. The art was highly favoured by Mughal Emperors of 15th and 16th Century.

Originally known in Kashmir as Kar-i-qalamdan and Kar-i-munaqqash, the Mughal period saw the art extended to palanquins, ceilings, bedsteads, doors, and windows.

Famous places with Papier Mache designs are fine ceiling at Madin Sahib Mosque (dated 1444 AD), the ceiling at the Shah Hamdan Mosque at Fatehkadal and the Mughal gardens, at Shalimar in Srinagar.

The Process

Two main methods are used to prepare papier-mâché; one makes use of paper strips glued together with adhesive, and the other method uses paper pulp obtained by soaking or boiling paper to which glue is then added.

With the first method, a form for support is needed on which to glue the paper strips. With the second method, it is possible to shape the pulp directly inside the desired form. In both methods, reinforcements with wire, chicken wire, lightweight shapes, balloons or textiles may be needed.

The traditional method of making papier-mâché adhesive is to use a mixture of water and flour or other starch, mixed to the consistency of heavy cream. In the case of items made of wood instead of paper pulp the required wooden shapes are secured through the carpenters working on light wood.

Over the years there have been some wild and wonderful ingredients used in the past:

• Resin …was sometimes used to give a smooth surface.

• Potash …was used to neutralize the acidity of the pulp or to act as a deterrent against insects and rodents.

• Tobacco leaves …were sometimes used by German dollmakers.

• Kolioquinte (bitter cucumber) …was used for its purging action.

• Garlic …became an insect repellent.

• Cinnamon or cloves …were added to eliminate the smell of garlic!

• Leather pairings …Samuel Hooper took out a patent in 1795 to make various articles from leather parings.

• Isinglass …(a pure form of gelatine). Used in Britain as a bonding agent for their dolls heads.

• Rags …were sometimes used by doll makers.

• Rice flour …favoured in India

• Rye meal …favoured in Germany

Painting

In the early days of this craft, mineral, organic and vegetable colours were used. These colours would not loose intensity and strength even if the objects were kept in direct sunlight or in water for days together.

Organic and Vegetable Colour Sources:

• White – white lead came from Russia

• Body white – was prepared from a local stone called ‘shallaneen’

• Ultramarine Blue – was prepared from ‘Virdigris’ (green) and ‘lapis lazuli’

• Browns – were prepared from a clay which was imported from Armenia

• Yellows – were prepared from a flower ‘guli ksu’ and a wild plant ‘weftangil’

• Violet and Blue – were extracted using the indigo leaf and weed

• Reds – were derived from cochineal, log wood and local forest wood named ‘lin’. Red was sometime obtained from saffron

• Light Brown– Green and dried walnut skins yielded light browns

• Black – was produced from lamp blacks as well as from walnuts. For large and plain groundwork, black was produced from half-burnt cowdung.

Painting on the papier mache objects these days is done in distemper colours.

Designs

The important elements in papier mache designs are objects of nature mostly flowers and birds, particularly the kingfisher and bulbul, historical figures, animals, hunting and battle scenes, court scenes influenced by miniature paintings.

Papier mache products reflect a very subtle grammar of motif and style.

Popular patterns or design motifs are the traditional ‘hazara’ or ‘thousand flowers’ ( the pattern attempts to display every conceivable flower) and ‘gulandergul’ or ‘flower within flower’. The chinar leaf, the iris, the Persian rose, the almond and cherry blossom, the tulip, narcissus and hyacinth are also popular motifs. Border patterns such as gondur and tyond are generally geometric abstracts.

Among other rich designs are ‘Arabesque’, done in gold against a brown or red ground to show sprays of rose blossoms in fine lines and ‘Yarkand’, an elaborate design built up in spirals with gold rosettes radiating from various centers and white flowers laid over gold scroll work.

Papier Mache Today

Papier mache is still used today in theatre and stage productions as it makes excellent trees and rocks for scenery being so light and easy to move. In Ladakh and Mexico, masks are made out of paper pulp (mixed with clay, cotton, flour and glue) and painted in bright colours. Handicraft workers also make statues also for monasteries in this technique.

It is extensively used for decorative and home utility purposes. The Kashmiri artisans transform a variety of utility articles into rare art pieces. These skills have passed down from generation to generation and from family to family.

Kashmiri craftsman have tried to maintain the culture of Papier Mache and to this day it is still being made by hand in these small home shops where families gather together and work on it and bring these beautiful creations to the world.

Papier mache products are available in cottage industries in all major metro’s in India and enjoys a great demand in Goa where the demand is high being a tourist state.

The style of Papier Mache painting is also seen on cookie boxes, steel trays and glasses and similar items of daily use.

DIY Papier Mache

At Toy-Kraft we promote all crafts for children and have various DIY kits for papier mache.

Visit the wikihow site for an in depth description on papier mache. This youtube video is also quite informative.

Buy our DIY kit now

Do try this time-honoured craft and post us your efforts…we look forward…