Parchemin Panels

Predominant from 1450 to 1550, there are various thoughts on how this decorative panel decoration first originated. One is that early panels had pieces of parchment glued to them, possibly as a ground for painting. The greasy composition of the material may often have resulted in the failure of the glue to hold the corners and edges, which would then lift and curl back. This accidental effect may have been recognized as an attractive device that could be appropriately adapted and copied onto the woodwork itself. Another theory, possibly the more likely, is that it could be a natural decorative progression from the simple but necessary act of chamfering back the thick panel edges to enable them to fit into the narrow framework grooves.



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