The Exquisite Wood Marquetry of Juliana Onipchenko

Juliana Onipchenko is a female artist, working in wood marquetry, who lives in Kiev, Ukraine. Today, on Hadley Court, we are celebrating her exquisite talent.

The wood marquetry panel above, DREAM BABY, was created in collaboration with artist Irena Malkova.

THE HISTORY OF MARQUETRY

Wood marquetry had its original inspiration in 16th century Florence, where techniques of inlaying solid marble slabs with designs formed of beautiful hardstones and semi-precious gems originated. Using wood for marquetry developed in the early 16th century in Flemish centers of fine cabinet making like Antwerp. The craft of wood marquetry was then imported to France in the mid seventeenth century, where it flowered at the royal manufacturing plant at Gobelins, charged with making the furniture for Versailles and the other royal residences of King Louis XIV.

The most famous royal French furniture made during the 1770′s and 1780′s, using the technique of wood marquetry, was that made by Jean Henri Riesener, whose Bureau du Roi shown below { started by Oebens, but finished by Riesener who married Oeben’s widow }, was made for Louis XV. It once again resides today in Versailles and is the most famous of all of his masterpieces.

Today, Juliana and Irena, and artists like them around the world carry on the tradition of fine wood marquetry and we hope these additional examples of their exquisite artisanship inspire you as they have us. It can’t be easy being an artist in the Ukraine right now..and after Memorial Day yesterday, where we celebrated those who gave their life for our freedom here in the United States, we wish the same freedoms for Juliana, Irena and all artists like them around the world - lest they ever be forgotten.

Please enjoy these photographs of the wood marquetry artistry of Juliana Onipchenko, taken from her website: http://marquetry-plus.com.ua

And lastly, created in collaboration with Irena Malkova, the panel, MADONNA WITH ANGELS.

Leslie Carothers

for

Leslie Hendrix Wood

Decorator
Chancellor Interiors
Midland, Texas

Founder, Editor In Chief

Hadley Court

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Image credits: 1 + 6, 2, 3-5

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