The Chinese Wallpaper

Harewood House Trust opened the completely refurbished East Bedroom in March 2008 featuring an exquisite 18th century hand-painted Chinese wallpaper. With this as a backdrop the room has been transformed into a Rococo, Chinoiserie interior using archival evidence and the advice of experts from across the UK.

The Chinese wallpaper was re-discovered twenty years ago in an outbuilding on the Harewood Estate. Subsequent research revealed that the rolls formed a complete scheme that was installed in the Chintz Bedroom by Chippendale's men in 1769. It is likely that the paper was removed from the house in the mid 19th century as it did not suit late Regency or early Victorian tastes. The paper was cut from the walls and rolled up in linen for protection.

The fact that it survived for over 150 years in an outbuilding is remarkable; the fact that it has survived in near perfect condition is astonishing. The paper has been painstakingly conserved by Allyson and Adrian McDermott, Chinese wallpaper specialists. Allyson has said that the wallpaper is '...one of the finest examples of Chinese wallpaper anywhere in the world'.

The paper was most likely traded through the port of Canton in the middle of the 18th century and was possibly commissioned by Edwin Lascelles. Canton was the British name for Guangzhou, a city on the south coast where ships from the British East India Company were allowed to dock. The Chinese referred to these European merchants as 'fankwei' or foreign devils.

The Chinese wallpaper is painted by hand and each sheet is unique so that a landscape mural appears around the room. It shows scenes of industry in China in the 18th century. The main themes are making porcelain and silk as well as growing rice and tea. Most agricultural and industrial production at the time the paper was made took place on small holdings which collectively produced a large scale output. The scenes on the wallpaper show contented peasants working industriously in an idealised landscape.

 

How the Paper was Found and Archival Evidence

In the years following the finding of the wallpaper a great deal of archival research was done to understand the history of the paper and how it related to Harewood House.

Harewood House was built and furnished between 1759 and 1772 by Edwin Lascelles and displayed many items acquired from the East Indies and many items made by European craftsmen in the 'Chinoiserie' taste. It was quite normal for European craftsmen to make furniture, porcelain etc in the style that they thought was actually Chinese.

Entries in the Day Work Book written by the steward Samuel Popplewell evidence the fact that Chippendale's men were hanging Chinese papers in many rooms in the House including putting up India paper (the contemporary name for Chinese wallpaper) in the Chintz Bedroom in December 1796.

 

Conserving and Hanging the Paper

Following an initial assessment of the paper and the pigments it was felt that the wallpaper would withstand being wet cleaned. This was done to remove the dirt and acid and significantly improved the overall finish of the paper. The old lining papers were painstakingly removed by hand and the wallpaper re-lined with acid-free japanese tissue paper. Whilst in the studio small losses were painted back in using watercolour wash just to blend the areas together.

Once the paper has been stabilised digital imagery was used to piece the sheets together and work out the preceise layout within the East Bedroom. The room was prepared by cleaning the existing paintwork, stripping the old wall covering and lining the walls with canvas stapled onto the existing battens. Two layers of lining paper were then pasted on before the Chinese wallpaper was finally added. This process replicates the 18th century process of hanging wallpaper (though with staples rather than tacks)!

 

Further Information...

A small booklet on 'The Chinese Wallpaper' is available to purchase from the House Desk which proves detail of selected scenes form the wallpaper as well as more information on the landcape of China, the history of Chinese wallpaper and Chintz, the Lascelles family and the East India Company and Chippendale and Chinoiserie furniture and furnishings.

You will also soon be able to view video clips of the conservation process and hear from the conservators themselves on our China at Harewood website pages.