Art verses Craft

This debate has been going on, in one form or another, since the beginning of the last Century. Unless you are new to marquetry, you undoubtedly have been exposed to articles dealing with this dilemma. Most of the ones I have read are opinionated by authors who believe their view is the right one. Examples are those that call themselves artists (usually without any formal art training)....therefore whatever they create is art. This egoistical determination, by itself, dismisses any rational approach to themselves and their work. I could cite a few other examples of the above, but every one is a product derived from the theory of relativism. The word art is used all too frequently and after a while it ceases to have any meaning.

What is needed is a coherent understanding of the relationship of one to the other and this is best done by consulting the histories of men qualified to do so. In the beginning the Greek philosophers wrote on this very topic. They believed that crafts workers were more valuable than artists in the social order. Some of that thought prevails today in the European Union where imported crafts are value-taxed at a higher rate than art. The comparison may not seem viable, but it shows the measure placed on these objects by ordinary people. In the eighteenth Century there was Denis Diderot, the great French Encyclopedist, who chronicled all the "mechanical arts" of his time. Below are engravings of an ebenisterie (marquetry) workshop and one of mosaic (inlay) makers from the Encyclopédie.




Diderot was also an art critic (one of the first) during the Paris Salons. His interpretation of art was derived from aestheticism. He proclaimed art had a duality - it had to be pleasing to the artist as well as all those who viewed it. His more gifted counterpart was the German philosopher, Immanuel Kant. He broadened the scope of aestheticism in his "Critique of Judgment" where he defined the difference between art and craft. Art, he says, is more than a beautiful object - it must communicate an idea without having a function. Craft is always functional. And in our own time we have the British philosopher R.G. Collingwood who surmised that art is spontaneous without any preparation or design. Craft on the other hand is the result of a preconceived idea or plan.

With this hypothesis it is doubtful whether anyone has ever seen any marquetry that was art. Do we really need to ask ourselves when viewing an object of marquetry. . . is it art or craft? I think not. For a lot of us we just enjoy marquetry without labels. Period.

Random Notes

I would like to thank all those visitors who have visited this blog and especially those International visitors who have emailed me with their comments and questions. Resources are few to those overseas. It is for these people that my blog exists. Oftentimes I am unable to respond to comments, but I do try to answer all questions of merit.

It is my opinion that a website should reflect the craftsmanship of its owner. Sadly that is not the case around the World Wide Web. Some sites have not been updated in months or even years. Others are badly coded and look as if they came straight out of the 1980's. A survey of the top 100 marquetry sites as indexed by Google showed very few that actually taught anything of value. It is to this end that my own website - traditionalmarquetry.com - will be completely redone with expanded features. I hope to have it available by the end of the year.

For those that want to learn marquetry I offer a few tips culled from experience and craftspeople I have talked to over the years. (1) Do not buy marquetry kits! They enable you to make a picture, but teach you next to nothing about the mechanics of marquetry. (2) All the marquetry videos I have seen show the instruction carried out on a power scrollsaw reciprocating over 400 strokes per minute. Certainly not the ideal way to learn the craft. Save your money and go on YouTube. There are several videos that show how to cut marquetry with the fretsaw. (3) The best book that is available today that will teach you the basics as well as advanced methods is "The Marquetry Manual" by William A. Lincoln. (4) Expensive lessons should be avoided unless you want to make marquetry your trade. A better option would be to attend a Woodworking Show in your area and see what it has to offer. Many marquetry clubs exhibit at these. Most offer classes for as little as the cost of materials used. (5) For specific questions join the Yahoo Marquetry Group. Many experts are ready to answer your most difficult queries. If all this fails for one reason or another email me and I will send you a 15 page pdf of "How to make marquetry pictures using the knife and fretsaw methods". Pattern is included.

Classical Marquetry

Classical marquetry is easy to define in this age of modernism where everything that is created must be different and more novel than the previous one. Those that practice this sublime craft are as rare as resawn ivory. One such craftsman is Dusan Rakic from Yugoslavia. He goes by the name of prometheus065 and his blog can be found here. Several videos are available there. One of these shows his adept skill of knife-cutting. His subjects are taken from established art and their execution have a Wagnerian feel to them. My personal favorite is "St Jerome on his Knees before a Crucifix" by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Below is the original and one of marquetry.

For those who like to avail themselves of more progressive marquetry, head over to woodworkessence.com. A handful of artists are profiled including Kevin Dunlop of Canada. He bills himself as "The Marquetry Man". The original Marquetry Man" of course lived a hundred years ago in America and was profiled on this blog in January, 2009.

Marquetry Maps

Making maps of marquetry is nothing new, but Dan Bredemeier over at woodenmaps.com has recently completed, what I think, is the largest marquetry mural of a map ever constructed. Commissioned by an architectural firm for a Saudi Prince, it measures 18 feet wide and weighs over 200 pounds. It took Dan about a year to bring this project to completion.

Dan began doing marquetry as a hobby well before he knew it had a name. In time, he realized he could make money from this specialized craft. I have worked a few Shows with Dan and his technique is as old as marquetry itself. He first lays the background which will cover the entire piece using a vacuum press (usually using 1/4 plywood). While this is drying he begins to knife-cut the individual foreground pieces. These are then positioned on the foreground when it is taken out of the press and used as a template for tracing the desired shape. After this the background-veneer is removed using a 1/4" chisel and the foreground piece glued into place. In addition to this he adds details like names and facts using ink in a Calligraphic style.

Over time Dan has refined his technique through trial and error. I do not think there is a glue, finish, dye or chemical he has not tried. Below is his map of the United States and a detail from one of Africa.

Marquetry as an income?

This is a question that gets asked all the time and one that is not easy to answer. There are a lot of things to consider before jumping into this realm. If getting into marquetry for the financial considerations then you are doing it for the wrong reasons and will be greatly disappointed. First of all it requires long hours of tedious, repetitious work. Then there is the design, promotion and selling of the product which is ongoing. Commission work is a good alternative, but acquiring a steady source of jobs can be challenging.

Another subject that must be dealt with is how the marquetry will be actually made. One-off pieces are generally expensive to make if they have any detail in them. Selling them requires a niche market that supports the labor involved in producing them. Simple items that are quickly made with little detail are more affordable by the general public, but quality is now replaced by quantity which is needed to earn an income.

The above can be surmounted by making more than one copy at a time. How elaborate the design is becomes a mute factor. Some will mirror their marquetry on separate pieces to give the illusion they are different. This has long been the acceptable method of making marquetry for profit and one that companies in the business of doing so rely on. In the majority of cases the design is cut using the pad, piece by piece, method or all-in-one pad. This gives the greatest amount of freedom. Marquetry of any size can be created making this a plus in the marketing department.

As an example, I've included a photo of 3 like pieces fabricated in the above manner. Each measures 24" by 24" and are identical in every aspect except the frames which are subcontracted. I usually only produce those I intend to sell minus any for myself or friends. These will go for several hundred dollars apiece and a label on the back displays all essential information. I never got into marquetry to make money, but then again I was never timid about turning my leisure time into an asset. For some that is the question they have to ask themselves.

Veneer Stripping Saw

What is a veneer stripping saw? In short, it is a mechanical saw that cuts strips of veneer of a fixed width for use as stringers or borders. The advantage of this saw is that it repeatedly cuts the veneer square to the surface in seconds as opposed to slicing at an angle using a knife which splits the wood fibers. A definite plus when cutting veneer with wild grain. The prototype for this saw was made by marquetarian Ken Kollar about 25 years ago as shown in the first photo.




The fence is made of hard aluminum which was cast from a mold. It features a sliding table to adjust for the width of cut and the drive mechanism was machined from steel. About 25 of these were made and the mold destroyed. Needless to say that access to a machine shop was essential to making one of these.
Since that time others have wanted to build similar machines, but lacked the resources to construct it. I have, however, duplicated it using parts available over- the-counter at any hardware and woodworking store. No machining is required and can be constructed in a couple of hours. The second photo shows this saw with the blade guard up for better view. It can cut strips of veneer from 1/8" to 3". Parquetry can also be cut if the strips are assembled together to form a whole. Overall it performs identical to the original saw.



The message in this post is that nothing is impossible if you only condition yourself to think outside the box. Ideas can become a reality if you persevere with imagination and foresight. In marquetry there is more than one way to complete a task and sometimes the alternative is more rewarding than the first.

Marquetry Oeuvre

During a recent gathering of craftspeople in my area to discuss marquetry we had the honor of celebrating the 99th birthday of one of our own. Let me introduce you to Oskar Schriener. Trained as a painter, he enjoys applying this talent to marquetry which was introduced to him during WWII. His marquetry can best be described as art, but despite this he has always denied being an artist and this in itself makes him one. Some, like myself, are fortunate enough to have received instruction from Oskar over the years.

It was during this occasion that I was invited by his son, Irwin, to photograph his marquetry oeuvre. Below are 3 examples from this collection. They are titled "The Sistine Chapel", "The Rug Dealer" and "Neuschwanstein Castle" respectively. Truly a collection worth seeing.

Free Veneer

Over the years I have had many offers for veneer, but none quite like this. It seems a 77 year old craftsman wants to unload a lifetime of veneer to anyone who will take it away. Represented are 240 species of veneer stored in hundreds of typical veneer boxes. These are 3 foot lengths often sold for marquetry. This gentleman lives in the Midwest (USA) and is not interested in piecing parts of his collection out. He wants to get rid of the whole lot and be done with it. Everything is inventoried and marked for easy identification. If any person is interested, and has a trailer to haul it all away, contact me by email which can be found here.

Books and Galleries

There are a few marquetry galleries on the web and as can be expected some are better than others. Two things that set the ones worth visiting apart from the others is the quality of the marquetry and the frequency they are updated. My personal favorite, and one that many are not aware of, is the ATREMA website with the galleries located here. ATREMA is a French Marquetry Association. Many renown marquetarians are members of this fine organization. The marquetry is superb and the galleries never seem out of date.

Another marquetry book is due to be published this Summer. "The Fine Art of Marquetry: Creating Images in Wood Using Sawn Veneers" by Craig Vandall Stevens. Publication date is set for July 31, 2010. With 160 pages it will list for $39.99. Amazon discribes the book as "An illustrated guide to marquetry, a technique where different colors of wood veneers are carefully cut to fit precisely together, forming a single sheet of veneer. Explore your creative potential and learn the essential elements of marquetry: using a fret saw, sawing your own veneers out of solid wood planks, the tools and materials required for marquetry, choosing wood, design, shading with hot sand, and applying a shellac finish."



There are many books on marquetry that are available. Many, however, are complicated in their approach for the newbie or offer particular methods employed by the author. For beginners, I always recommend a copy of "Modern Marquetry Handbook" if one can be found. It is out of print, but a few are available on ebay and other outlets that sell used books. It provides step-by-step instruction that any novice can understand and covers the most common methods of cutting as well as finishing. The now disbanned Marquetry Society of American had it published as a manual for its members and those wanting to learn marquetry in 1978. Many learned the craft with the use of this book and swear to its pragmatic approach.

Toothing Planes

On more than one occasion have I demonstrated the toothing plane, an antique tool used in veneering and marquetry. What is a toothing plane? It is a specialty plane that has an iron with serrated teeth which is used in preparing groundwork for the reception of veneer. Brought into existence during the age of hide glue it is still used today, but only by those that believe in its usefulness. During the 1920‘s, the Forest Product Labratories tested blocks of wood that had been laminated with and without their surfaces scored before gluing. In the majority of the samples that had scoring - they also survived a shear test longer. Modern glues, however, have rendered it as an unnecessary tool.

Still, there are applications where it is essential in giving the glue a good bite on materials that are non-porous such as brass. In those cases both the groundwork and the material being laid are worked over. This is done by stroking the toothing plane perpendicular to the sides and diagonally until the surface is evenly scored. Another instance of its use is the removal of high spots or gnarl-wood on an otherwise flat board. It can remove a lot of material in a short period of time.

Below is my toothing plane made in England during the 19th-century. It is made of Beech and the iron is stamped Moulson Brothers. I bought it 15 years ago and today it is valued at twice that much. Old tools never die, they live on in another man’s hand.

Fretsaws

Fretsaws are an integral part of making marquetry and over the centuries they have evolved. The earliest ones were made of wood while the ones we use today have become standardized. In between there were ingenious saws like the MotoSaw by Dremel. Made in 1941 it used pin-end blades and had a motor in the handle. It never became commercially successful.

If we look at fretsaws today the saw frame provides the tension to the blade. This works well with todays blades which are very thin. In the 18th-Century, blades were much thicker. The better fretsaws of the time employed a mechanism within the handle for tightening the blade. Below is one such saw. This saw is for sale and can be found here. The knob at the end of the handle is rotated to provide tension. Compare this to the engraving found in L'Art du Menuisier by Andre Jacob Roubo. Except for the ornamentation and the abilty to adjust for blade length they appear to be similar in technical operation.