Marquetry

One of the most visually appealing techniques in furniture, marquetry is the art of painting in wood. The creation of pictures and forms is accomplished through the process of cutting and assembling veneer with painstaking detail. Just as a mosaic is formed by assembling countless tiny pieces of stone and glass, a marquetry picture is created by putting together tiny pieces of wood, metal and stone.

Chevalet de marqueterie: An example of an ancient tool, the chevalet is used to saw through veneer packets, creating the tiny pieces of wood that are combined to make a complete picture or design.

Boulle Method: Boulle Method requires cutting all the design elements simultaneously with the background. Inevitably, this results in opposing matched sets of background and design. Pairs of furniture are a natural result of the Boulle Method.

Classic Method: Classic Method requires cutting the design elements independently of the background. This technique applies especially to the creation of intricate organic pictures such as flowers and faces.

Pierre Ramond (1935- )
Pierre Ramond is the world's foremost authority on the craft of French Marquetry. In Paris, at the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, Ramond headed the marquetry studio of Pierre Rosneau. Later, he set up his own studio and began teaching at the Ecole Boulle.

Ramond taught for many years but has since retired from being a professor. He continues to share his love and expertise for French Marquetry in lectures that he delivers all over the world.