The Magazine Antiques

Current & Coming | By Chloe Lieske

Carolle Thibaut-Pomerantz and the timeless allure of wallpaper

December 7, 2009  |  The new book by art historian and vintage wallpaper expert Carolle Thibaut-Pomerantz, Wallpaper: A History of Style and Trends (Flammarion, 2009), offers a visually stunning and comprehensive survey of decorative wall coverings. Chronicling wallpaper's evolution—from guild organization in the 16th century through its refinement in 18th-century France; the technical advancement of the panoramique; trade and interpretation in the United States; and transformation into modern and then contemporary art—Thibaut-Pomerantz cites major exhibitions and provides detailed historical analysis across many countries, providing an invaluable resource on her subject.

The volume is generously illustrated with examples from premier manufacturers Dufour, Zuber, and Réveillon, along with limited-edition papers by contemporary artists such as Calder, Warhol, Miró, and Matisse. Examples of wallpapers in situ are particularly arresting, and some highlights include: a view of the Porcelain Room at the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna covered in the 18th-century blue Chinoiseries, the scenic wallpaper reissued from Zuber that Jacqueline Kennedy hung in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, and a tromp l'oeil paper depicting shelves of books designed by Deborah Bowness for Christian Lacroix's decoration of the Hôtel du Petit Moulin in Paris.

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