The Origin Story of Wallpaper

The beginning of wallpaper can only begin with the invention of paper. We can thank the Chinese for that, specifically an official from the Chinese Imperial Court, Tsai Lun. Essentially, the formula used to make paper was a mixture of mulberry bark, bamboo fibres, linen and hemp, simmered in a solution of wood ash, then beaten by hand. Tsai Lun had experimented with this process, perfecting it to supply even sheets of paper. This practice lasted 3 centuries and was closely guarded, only sharing it with their Japanese neighbours. Eventually, the formula was shared, thanks to the Arabs. The Chinese lost to them in the Battle of Talas in AD 751. The Chinese prisoners of war were forced to give up their paper-making secrets allowing the Islamic world to record its religious, scientific and philosophical knowledge for posterity. 

Europe was behind compared to the Middle East when paper became common. Along the Silk Road, paper was carried from Persia to Syria and Egypt. Evidence showed that paper was used in Baghdad as early as AD 793 and in Cairo in AD 900. The Moors took the paper to Spain and Italy. In Fex, Morocco, there were 400 paper mills by the early 12th century. 

Papermaking was closely linked to printing. It wasn’t until 1348 that paper hit France and later spread across northern Europe. By the 15th century, paper was used for decorative works like wallpaper. Inspired by the Chinese decorative arts, through the travels of the Silk Road,  

Marco Polo, born in Venice in 1254, travelled extensively along the Silk Road and mentions the elaborate decorative panels and wall coverings in China. He speaks of lavish interiors and  handprinted paper of birds, flowers and scenes in motifs that decorated the walls of Imperial Chinese interiors. The Dutch missionaries got their hands on a few samples, and they were later used to inspire artists throughout Europe.

​

Reference: Brunet, Geneviève, and Ruth Verity Sharman. The Wallpaper Book. Thames & Hudson, 2012.