Embossed leather / Gilt leather
Cordoban leather has a very long history: remnants of it have been found in North Africa dating back to the 6th century. A more accurate name for this tooled, hand-painted leather would be gilt leather. The embossed leather industry was developed throughout Europe, especially in Flanders, in the early 17th century and reached its zenith in the 18th century. During the reign of Louis XV many manufacturers set up shop in Paris. Read more
Leather combines unusual strength with unique characteristics as a decorative material, and it was used extensively for interior decor in the dwellings of the nobility and wealthy bourgeoisie. Decorative leatherwork from that period can still be seen in some remarkable surviving interiors.
From the very beginning of its activity, the Atelier Mériguet-Carrère (company based in Paris) has specialized in this craft, which accounts for a not insignificant part of its work. Undertaking both restoration projects and innovative new installations, reproducing panels based on antique designs as well as creating new ones, the Atelier has built up one of the largest leather “archives” in the world.
While the techniques employed by its craftsmen are for the most part identical to those used in the age of Colbert and the Sun King, the purpose of the resulting creations is sometimes less traditional: they have provided wall coverings for the dressing rooms of a famous haute couture house and the seats in a private jet plane. More typically, embossed leather is used in deluxe residences for wall coverings, chairs, other furnishings and folding screens.
