History of Wallpaper started in China earlier 200 BC. It was at that time, China invented the rice paper and began to hang her walls of dwellings. Chinese masters kept the secret of making the paper almost 500 years. Only in the 6 th century Japanese learned about it, but after the battle of Samarkand (751) method of manufacture of paper sheets Chinese captives were given to Arabs. Around the VIII century AD, paper began to spread in Europe, and in X-XI centuries fully capture the "old world", including Russia. Chinese painted wallpaper were highly valued at all times, regardless of the vagaries of fashion and the variety of tastes. Samples of ancient painted wallpaper and decorate today stands the best museums in the world.
Still, widespread use of paper wallpaper found much later, the same basic materials for the walls at the time were leather and fabric. Wallpapers from any of the material were a luxury item and indicated high social status of owners of homes with wallpaper. Often the only parade wallpaper made out of the room. Wallpaper of the precious silk yarn with complex compositions were possible only in the homes of nobles and gentry with less affluence were satisfied with painted canvas. Many other rich Europeans commissioned artists to manufacture colored paper for papering the walls. But talking about the full wallpaper before the invention of the printing process is not necessary. In 1599, when France was formed guild "Upholsterers", but while they made only small pieces.
In 1675, Jean Papillon, a French engraver, invented a method of making dies for printing wallpaper with a continuous pattern, which greatly accelerated the development of the wallpaper business. Since the XVIII century, thanks to excellent production methods became widely known products of the London shops.
In XVII-XVIII centuries. in Western Europe were very popular so-called fake silk. Made them so: the primed surface of the paper was poured silk trim, ground dried up, silk glued. Created a complete illusion fabric. Incidentally, this wallpaper was decorated and the Louvre - the residence of French kings, and the castle of the Duke Armand-Jean du Plessis, Cardinal de Richelieu. Flourishing fashion on paper wallpaper in the second half of XVIII century. In Russia, the preference for "paper" gave in Moscow, which was associated with a special Moscow fashion for a relatively cheap imitation materials in the decoration of private houses and estates.
In those days, not just wallpaper pasted on walls or paper sublayer, as now, but only on canvas, stretched over a wooden stretcher, which was attached to the wall. Thus, on both sides of the wallpaper was the air. Dear wallpaper slower, less distorted and faded. In addition, when general cleaning them can be removed and cleaned, if necessary, replace the canvas.
At first, wallpaper patterns to imitate the texture of plaster, brick or imitated some architectural details. But gradually manifested themselves and their specific properties and advantages. For example, the wallpaper is often imitated the texture and pattern of different tissues. Drawings and fabric, paper wallpaper is always subordinate fashion. In the XVIII century, it could be allegorical scenes, landscapes, images and cowherd cowherd, genre scenes, landscapes, Chinese or small floral patterns, imitation marble, malachite, lapis lazuli. In the "Victorian era" more developed methods for multi-color printing machine, which leads to a further reduction in price of wallpaper and increase their popularity. Desktop come almost every home. Creating wallpaper was a kind women's needlework. The ladies themselves painted or carved on the contour of individual parts, creating true masterpieces. With the accession of the era of modernism wallpaper fell into "disgrace", but it lasted until the early 20-ies of XX century, after which came a new "revival" of wallpaper.
In modern life wallpapers play a huge role. There is virtually no house where there is no wallpaper. But to speak only about the wallpaper is not exactly true. It's a whole industry of "treatment walls."