Intarsia

No other word in the marquetry lexicon causes more confusion than that of "intarsia" and in some parts of the world it is a misnomer. Although the two share common characteristics they are dissimilar. The root of the problem is attribution. Intarsia created during the Renaissance is not the same as that made today in so far as surface treatment is concerned. Today, intarsia has a sculptured surface where quattrocento intarsia is flat. And marquetry is synonymous in this respect. In fact, to further blur its meaning marquetry is still called intarsia from Italy and Poland to Denmark because there is no distinction between marquetry and inlay work (intarsia) while in France, for example, marqueterie describes both techniques.

To understand older intarsia is to know that from a technical point it is inlayed into a solid substrate while marquetry is layed upon the surface. It was not until the 17th-Century that true marquetry came into being with the advent of sawn veneers. The photo below illustrates how this was done in a self portrait by Antonio Barili in 1502. A shoulder-knife is used alongside a chisel. The original in Vienna was destroyed during World War II.

The intarsiatori was often a woodcarver who expanded his repertoire by doing intarsia as both required the same tools and skills. An added benefit was those who were learned in the architectural arts to take advantage of executing work in perspective.

In the modern era intarsia is made using solid wood whereas marquetry uses veneer. In most instances the intarsia is not inlayed anymore. It is merely glued to a wood backing as an appliqué after it has been sculptured thus creating a 3D effect.

Below is an example in my collection of objet d'arts which originated in Eastern Europe. It is an intarsia representation of a Greek icon entitled 'Mater de Perpetuo Succursu' or 'Our Lady of Perpetual Help' now residing in a church in Rome and has since the Renaissance.

In this case, the main figure is inlayed while the angels and name plate are glued to the surface. The Madonna and Child vary in thickness from 1/4" - 1/2". Overall it measures 15" × 21" inches - nearly identical to the original. The name plate says 'Ave Maria'. 

It is a curious matter that most people do not know the difference between intarsia and marquetry let alone what the two words mean. Once a year, where I live, there is a juried competition of crafts which draws thousands of spectators. They are exposed to this ignorance by grouping marquetry and intarsia into the same class. After hearing of this injustice, I approached the judges with the intent of educating them. As a result there are now 2 distinct classes. I do not believe this was an isolated case. I can only hope others will take a proactive lead wherever possible.

Banned Materials

In August, Gibson Guitar Company was fined for illegally importing exotic wood. These were ebony from Madagascar and India, as well as rosewood from India reported to be worth $262,000 and confiscated by the government along with several guitars. A $300,000 fine was imposed. This is the same company that offered me a commission to produce marquetry for a line of banjos they were producing a few years ago. As it turned out I turned the offer down because I abhor production work. In reality they most likely resorted to harsh laser marquetry. Sometimes fate leads you into the right direction.

To understand the underlining problem it is best to remember that export and import of exotic timber and veneer comes under a collective agreement between member countries of CITES or Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species. In some cases the finished product is illegal if taken across international borders. In the U.S. enforcement is extended through the Lacey Act. Banned veneer is not problematic, however, for the individual craftsman if they were harvested or acquired before 1973, but exporting requires documentation and an export license. Brazilian rosewood is a good example. Some craftsmen, including myself, have this veneer in a small flitch which was obtained before 1992 when it was banned. In marquetry a little bit goes a long way. As long as I don't export any of it in a raw or finished product I am free of illegal trading.


Other banned materials of interest to those involved in marquetry are Tortoiseshell, Ivory and Mother of Pearl with the last less restricted in the raw form. Tortoiseshell has been banned since 1973 and is only available, if you can find it, from antique sources. Ivory, on the other hand, is generally prohibited especially Elephant ivory from Africa. An adult Elephant can yield about 100 pounds of Ivory. Small amounts of ivory can be obtained from reclamation dealers, but of little use in marquetry except for the smallest detail. I have a few pieces of ivory obtained from a Victorian piano, one of which is pictured below. Although these were given to me some time ago, I have yet to find a use for them.  Maybe I'll make a set of pens out of them.

Having an embargo on endangered woods and animals is a good thing. The down side is that poachers can ask and get higher prices for their efforts. And this in spite of the fact that there are substitutes for the above named materials that are less expensive. I can't help but wonder where all that ebony and rosewood from Gibson will end up. Will it be reduced to tinder (unlikely) or will it be exported by the government to another country like China which has a huge demand for it.

Enhancing Marquetry

Marquetry is often referred to "painting with wood" and to that end many craftsmen, since earliest times, have strived to emulate classical painting. This is done in such a way as to change the appearance of the veneer so it has the effect of adding form to shape.

At the most basic level is the application of oil to the unfinished marquetry to bring out the tone and highlights of the wood. The best oil for this is poppy oil. This is a clear oil used by artists. Rub a light coat briskly into the wood. Apply a wash coat of Shellac afterwards and then apply the top coat of your choice.

By far the most popular method for enhancing parquetry is "sandburning" or sand shading. In this the veneer is submerged into fine hot sand. It only takes a second to effect a change and a little practice goes a long way. In many instances, I believe, it is overused. A subtle effect is ideal as in the piece below of Mont Saint-Michel by Franck Debouverie.

 

Another ancient solution was the use of acid. This was usually nitric acid in its many forms and often diluted to useful levels that were less dangerous. Not used anymore except in antique restoration where new wood is treated to match the patina of old wood.

Pyrography and marquetry can be combined to produce spectacular results in the hands of a seasoned craftsman. The problem is that it can easily overshadow the marquetry to the point of obscuring it all together. As it is applied to the veneer after glue up, a heat resistant adhesive must be used. This method cannot be undone. It appears this method is underused.

Engraving has been around as long as sand shading and is little used except in restoration. It was heavily used to highlight tortoiseshell, brass and silver in centuries past. The knife is most often used today in this procedure after lines are drawn on the sealed marquetry. Black wax is rubbed into the cavity afterwards.

Finally there is penwork. This is the application of ink upon the marquetry to illuminate it with detail. A pen is used with a nib of the desired thickness. This is applied after the parquetry has been sealed and sanded. A level surface is required. Black India ink is best. Most ink contains alcohol to speed drying so a top coat of Shellac will result in bleeding. An oil based varnish is a better choice. Used mostly in Far East countries to enhance unanimated marquety as shown below.

Even among purists, there is an attitude that most of these techniques are unacceptable. In some juried competitions they are outright prohibited. The consensus is that the selection of veneer for its grain, tone and contrast should preeminently determine a persons ability as an artist. I agree, but it can be an asset to display a little form on an otherwise flat surface.

Segmentation

In the pursuit of marquetry it is often, either more or less, about solving problems during its execution. One technique I used when I started marquetry was segmentation which is illustrated below. The scenario for this method, in my case, goes something like this. Using a small handheld fretsaw with a 11.5" capacity I would create marquetry that exceeded its range. I have a similar fretsaw measuring 24" that I made for such cutting. To cut the entire marquetry using the latter saw would be laborious. To reduce the amount of time spent using the larger saw the project was quartered. Each quarter would have one or more sections cut independently of the other with the smaller saw and added latter using the larger saw. Sometimes for the sake of ease they would be cut in with a knife.

In the photo above three quarters have been joined. The top has had a border element partially added. To the left are two sections that will be appended to the fourth quarter. To do this a waster veneer is cut in to receive these as shown below.

To add the first of these elements the marquetry is placed face down. The piece to be cut in is positioned by the use of a transparent reverse pattern. A line is drawn using carbon paper around this piece in an area where a border veneer will be placed. The cutting is done on the backside and glued in place. Below is the result.

For the sake of variety the right motif (below) is let in using the window method with a knife. This is done from the front side. It is positioned from the face side using the same pattern flipped right-side up. Other elements can be made and added at this stage. When all the segments have been added the border pieces are cut in.

What has been achieved by the use of this technique is that I have eliminated the cutting done with the larger saw by 1/3 to 1/2. With the proliferation of large scrollsaws this technique is rather unneeded. Having used it, however, as a beginner without a scrollsaw, I am happy to have added this to my arsenal of techniques. Knowledge is enduring.

American 'pad' method

I have noticed in the last couple of years that more people have taken up pad cutting. Mind you, I'm not talking about the piece by piece method, but the all-in-one pad which is a variation of the Boulle method. This is in contrast to the artsy bevel method that many still practice and who are obsessed with not having any gaps in their work. I think this is an attempt to make their marquetry comparable to fine art painting. In the real world this just isn't possible. Although I have seen a few pieces I consider art, I am always reminded that marquetry is a craft. Making and selling to collectors does not change a thing. Neither does price. Just ask any appraiser or customs agent. I will come back to this point in a minute, but lets continue with the subject at hand.


The all-in-one pad method is just what it says. All the veneers needed to produce the the design are assembled in one pad. Pieces of waste material are placed on the top and bottom with a pattern afixed to the latter. The whole is cut in one simultaneous operation. Saw capacity is not a factor as the pad can be cut in to smaller sections as needed providing the pattern allows for this. When all the pieces have been cut they are assembled with a perfect fit except for a gap around each piece the width of the sawblade. With a 2/0 blade it is hardly noticeable. I've heard tell that this was called the American 'pad' method due to its popular use in the 1970's. It is undoubtedly one of the easiest methods available. The result is very pleasing providing you can get over the above obsession.


I knew a fellow (who is no longer living) that employed this very same technique. He would crank these out on a scale that I find even today hard to believe. These were not sold, but given away just for the asking. I must say, that's one way to propagate your work. In addition to this, he would show how it was done to anyone who was interested. As it turned out I happened to be at an estate sale a few years ago and 2 of his marquetry pictures were on display and for sale. I don't remember what the price was or how they got there, but they were a bargain. They are displayed below.


That brings me to the point I made earlier. Marquetry is basically craft no matter who makes it, how its made and for who its made. Over the years I have queried everyone from antique dealers to interior decorators on how they would categorize standalone marquetry. The answer is always the same. . . craft!

Mishaps and Mistakes

This is the bane of any craft and the person who practices it. Undoubtedly it occurs without exception, but some are better at masking the results than others. Admitting that you would have done a particular act differently does not negate a person’s technical skill. In fact, it shows an incorrect choice in the face of unforeseen circumstances and nothing more. So when does a mishap become a mistake? The short answer is when it cannot be corrected. Even then it is best to remember that we should not be afraid of making mistakes. I believe it was Albert Einstein who said “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”

I can remember one incident that happened to me in making a marquetry panel some time ago. The cutting was done using the piece by piece method where each part is cut independent of the others. Likewise, each one had its own separate pattern reproduced as a whole on my computer. I would print a batch of these as needed as the marquetry progressed. Regrettably, I had a loss of data on my hard drive before all the motifs could be rendered. This also affected my backup drive. My effort to reproduce the pattern was only partially successful. The XY coordinates did not match the original leaving the aspect ratio of each mismatched to the pieces I had already cut.

In order to salvage the marquetry, which was 75% complete, I turned to a technique used in the restoration of missing or damaged components of inlay. This is done by taking some light-weight paper, place it over the area to be replaced and rub a soft-lead pencil over the edges of the area to be replaced. The rubbing is then trimmed and glued to veneer specified in the design. Cutting can be done with a fretsaw or knife. Sometimes 2 or more adjacent pieces will be missing. Over-cutting these areas are necessary and then cutting back with a knife to their original location after assembly. All this is rather tedious, but essential in my case. I have seen whole marquetry created this way, but will save that for another post.

Obviously, I have no photos documenting this turnaround. I do have some images of what is involved in this procedure. Below is a piece of curved crossbanding which was inlayed using the same method. The total length of this was nearly 3 feet. Cutting 1 inch at a time (to enable concentric uniformity) and inlayed with hot hide glue the whole project was done in 2 hours. After practice you learn where to cut the tracing. In the end I was able to save the marquetry panel and proved, at least to myself, that a mishap and/or mistake can be corrected.