Monday, September 2, 2013

Zuber's "Decor Chinois"...

I recently was asked to repair a room of Zuber wallpaper that had water damage and pet damage...

"Decor Chinois" was the pattern! First made in 1832, Decor Chinois has 57 colors in the design and came in three colorways-cream, pink and the popular green.

I remember my first visit to the Zuber Paris showroom...I had set up an appointment and buzzed the door to be let in...

There were all of the designs on panels to flip through. Each design was hand carved from pear wood and made into wood blocks. They are kept in a controlled climate and allowed to rest for several years between printing again.

The previous owners had a dog that scratched a large area back to the liner.

I repainted the design and moved on to the water damage...

Three walls had moderate to more extensive water damage from upstairs flooding...

Several panels had multiple water stains running top to bottom through the designs. I painstakingly touched up each flower, bird and leaf in the effected area and then blended the background...ahem, did I mention Zuber is know for their gradation in color on their backgrounds? They start with one tone at the top and become lighter in the middle and then another shade at the bottom.

Decor Chinois is no longer in production.  The pear wood blocks begin to crack and warp after a century of use and must be retired. One of the perks of being a decorative artist is a job like this one....to come full circle from viewing the papers as a young artist and then restoring them to their original beauty, to be appreciated by another generation of art lovers!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Theresa, you have once again outdone yourself, what a fabulous collage & how educational. I throughly enjoyed this. Thank you for allowing us to enjoy this!

carrasco studio said...

Theresa...I am so impressed! I came too late to decorative painting to really "get" a style. My pieces are always "derived from" or "inspired by", but you nail the look, both in your repair and your knowledge of your crafts.


This is so difficult...to repair and honor the piece so the repair isn't even visible. You are a Mistress of your Art, and I see your search and accompanying growth with every new project.

Theresa Cheek said...

Jennifer-You made my day! You have always been a mentor to me and I am still in awe of your work. I have always had a passion for Zuber and have studied the panels for years. I guess it paid off this time! :)

Gina said...

Dear Theresa, Bravo! Your clients are so fortunate to have found you. Repairing Zuber panels and especially those which have acquired a certain amount of patina, is a difficult task. You have accomplished a miracle. Hats off to you and your considerable talent.

Mark D. Ruffner said...

Dear Theresa,

Congratulations on a job well done. The person who can say that she has repaired Zuber wallpaper is not only a fine artist, but someone who should and doubtlessly will be tapped as a consultant!

And I hope that room is off-limits to a particular dog!

patrickgracewood said...

Beautiful job ( in every way!)Theresa.
And thanks for recommending another place to visit when we go to Paris next month!

patrickgracewood said...

Beautiful job on every level, Theresa.
Thanks for another spot to visit when we go to Paris in two weeks!

home before dark said...

Genius in every way! Continue to be awed by your talent, enthusiasm, knowledge and versatility.

Helen Morris said...

Wow, that was a job well done. Your clients must have been thrilled.
The Zuber shop was right by my hotel on one of my Paris trips. Never dared go in though.

Theresa Cheek said...

Thank you Helen! You should venture in Zuber ...I literally gasped at so many panels in front of me!

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