History of the Decoupage Process

Decoupage (or découpage) is the art of decorating an object
by gluing colored paper cut outs onto it in combination with special
paint effects, gold leaf, etc. Commonly an object like a small box,
glass, or an item of furniture is covered by cutouts from magazines
or from purpose-manufactured papers. Each layer is sealed with
varnishes (often multiple coats) until the "stuck on" appearance
disappears and the result looks like painting or inlay work.

The craft became known as découpage in France (from the word decouper, 'to cut out') as it attained great popularity during the 17th and 18th centuries. Many advanced techniques were developed during this time, and items could take up to a year to complete due to the many coats and sandings applied. Some famous or aristocratic practitioners included Marie Antoinette, Madame de Pompadour, and Beau Brummell. In fact the majority of decoupage enthusiasts attribute the beginning of decoupage to 17th century Venice. However it was known before this time in Asia.

The most likely origin of decoupage is thought to be East Siberian tomb art. Nomadic tribes would use cut out felts to decorate the tombs of their deceased. From Siberia, the practice came to China, and by the 12th century, cut out paper was being used to decorate lanterns, windows, boxes and other objects. In the 17th century, Italy, especially in Venice, was at the forefront of trade with the Far East and it is generally thought that it is through these trade links that the cut out paper decorations made their way into Europe.