Unknown Maker, French

Not intended to last beyond their immediate use, design drawings often were damaged or destroyed during the making process. The Huard Collection contains several designs in tempera paint on oiled papers, a method used for transferring patterns before the invention of transparent commercial papers. Over time, the oil dried and discolored to a dark brown, making the paper brittle and fragile. These patterns might have been developed for wallpaper, textiles, or another material.