Decorative Wallpaper...

Joseph Dufour from the Musee de Papier et Peint

Well, it just doesn't get any better than this! Just look at those colors. The Hermes orange and cool turquoise pop against the muddied background. This is definitely work by Joseph Dufour.

Sauvages de la Mer Pacifique

Joseph and Pierre Dufour began their company in 1797. Sucess was not immediate and they liquidated soon after. Pierre left the business and when Joseph collaborated with Jean-Gabriel Charvet to create this twenty panel mural based on Captain Cook's voyages to the South Seas, Americans eagerly purchased it!

Joseph Ramee'

Joseph Ramee' was the  French architect and interior designer  that created this fabulous neoclassical motif. I love the stylized tonal design against the small red lined background.

The French seemed to master the hand blocked decorative papers in the 1880's. Using hand carved wood blocks and gouache paints, intricate designs using ribbons, urns and allegorical figures became popular.

Christopher Norman saw the importance of this era and produced a  modern line of papers based on the historic New England collection of 18th and 19th c wallpapers.

Adelphi has reintroduced panels based on Evariste Fragonard (son of Honore') These panels are widely known through their original production in the early 1900's.

Gracie is synonymous with asian influenced decorative papers.  Their choice of colors and intricate designs make Gracie paper distinguishable from other copies.

Dufour

Dufour also created stunning borders focusing on folds of fabric and floral motifs. He was fascinated with mimicking the sheen of silk and weaving floral trim against the soft fabric.

D. Giannelli was produced in France in the mid 1800's. This sample is from the Musee de Papier et Peints. The museum archives the most ornate papers from the 18th and 19th centuries.
These papers are only a small sampling of the true art that was produced in the 18th and 19th centuries. I hope these images inspired you to look at your walls in a new way!