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Panoramic wallpaper The Incas polychrome . 1818
Manufacturer Joseph Dufour
965,00 €
This panoramic wallpaper was edited in 1818 by Manufacturer DUFOUR. It was born as a free interpretation from a book by J-F Marmontel (1723–1799): " Les Incas, ou la destruction de l’empire du Pérou " (1776). Relating the conquest of Peru by Pizzaro in 1532, this novel emphasizes the Indians’ tolerance and innocence, as opposed to the Spanish conquistadores’ cruelty. Yet, the mural overlooks the shady side of the conquest, and rather shows a peaceful portrayal of the two civilizations.
This panoramic wallpaper has been garnered from the collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris. There is another copy in the Victoria and Albert’s Museum, in London.
Collection of Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris
Photographic credit : Les Arts Décoratifs/ Jean Tholance
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Created by Joseph Dufour, the so-named manufacture is, along with Zuber and Cie, one of the most exceptional of the 19th century regarding the creation of wallpapers, and especially panoramic murals. Ambitious, talented, humanist, and heavily influenced by the French Revolution ideals, Joseph Dufour set up first in Mâcon, then in Paris. At his beginnings, he kept in tune with the style and taste of the time, reproducing drapery patterns on paper. Then, he progressively turned towards literary and exotic themes with the creation of mural panoramics.
Exhibited in Paris in 1806, his first panoramic wallpaper, “Les Sauvages de la Mer Pacifique”, enjoyed great success, and Joseph Dufour was then considered the most revolutionary creator of the time in the art of decoration. From thereon, associated to his name, his patterns became famous all over the world, especially in Europe and in The United States.
1818
The panoramic wallpaper "Les INCAS" decorates the big lounge of "La Ville Bague", a wealthy shipowner’s residence, "La Malouinière", not far from Saint-Malo. Hiacynthe de Penfentenio, Marquess de Cheffontaines, and his wife Julie-Marie-Rose Eon, had it hanged when they came back from exile. Taken down in 1972, the mural was sold in 1976 in very bad condition. Restored by the Beaux-Arts afterwards, it was hanged back in its original place at "La Ville Bague". It is henceforth registered as an historical monument.
A baby can be seen in several places on this mural, here in a hammock, there nestled on his mother’s back… This baby’s presence gives a pleasant and benevolent atmosphere to the scenery. Pleasant, but strange, since this new-born is depicted like an adult with his grey hair, marked face and bulging muscles.
In general, due to engraved wood blocks, which are less precise than brushes, characters’ features on murals remain relatively unrefined. But panoramic wallpapers were not made to be looked at closely, their purpose was to create a general impression.
Our wallpapers are hung in 3 stages: the preparation of the wall, its pasting, and the hanging. The strips are hung edge to edge and from left to right in the order indicated on the assembly plan supplied with the rolls. To find out more, consult our Hanging instructions page.
Non-woven wallpaper 147g/ square meter
Matching edge to edge
Manufacturing time: 20 business days
Free shipping from €300
Made in France
Owing to the manufacturing process, there could be small variations in colors from one production batch to the next. If possible, avoid buying different parts of the same design several weeks apart.
