Leather Designs By De Gournay
De Gournay presents their new tooled leather designs.
Tooled Leather Designs
de Gournay is delighted to present their new ‘Tooled Leather’ effect, inspired by leather wall coverings and screen panels originating in the middle ages whose popularity flourished in 17th Century Europe, preceding the preference for silk and paper.
Bas Relief ‘Labrado’ design in Deep Rich Gold Gilded Paper with Antique Finish and Coloured Accents
Using ‘Cordovan’; smooth, calfskin leathers from Cordoba in Spain, covered in burnished metallic leaf and coated in a transparent yellow ‘Japanning’ solution, Artisans traditionally painted designs in oils before tooling the background sections to form a relief.
Bas Relief ‘Acorn’ design in Deep Rich Gold Gilded Paper with Antique Finish and Coloured Accents
Referencing the luxurious effects of these richly coloured, stylised motifs, our interpretations employ our 3-dimensional ‘Bas Relief’ technique to suggest carved details, with raised sections of the paintwork gilded by hand and layered with an antique finish. This has allowed us to imitate the fine, dense detail of original installations; whose stunning luminescence when used in place of wooden panelling or textiles in the age of fire and candlelight resulted in the Dutch moniker of ‘Goudleer’ or ‘Gold Leather’.
‘Leisure Time in an Elegant Setting’ Pieter de Hooch 1663 – 1665 Oil on Canvas
Referencing original source material from our archives, including an 18th century Indian ‘Tree of Life’ patterned fabric filled with Birds of Paradise, pomegranates and chrysanthemums, these new designs were a response to several custom projects created for use upon ceilings; the stylised and closely repeating patterns of which were akin to 16th and 17th century gilded leathers, before 18th century models began to depict ‘Chinese Garden’ imagery in response to the profusion of Chinoiserie, lacquerware and porcelain imported into Europe.
Bas Relief ‘Tree of Life’ Tooled Leather design in Tarnished Silver Gilded paper with Antique Finish
As purveyors of the world’s finest hand painted wallpapers, de Gournay’s insight and understanding of decorative technique and craft is unrivalled within the Interiors industry, with our design teams exacting research for new projects extending into the unique methods of myriad eras of history.