Small Genre Scene Painting In Arte Povera 18th Century

Arte Povera is a cheap decoration technique imitating 18th century lacquers.

consists in cutting existing decorations on a sheet of paper and sticking them on the surface to be decorated.
The composition is then covered with numerous layers of varnish to ensure its solidity. As its name suggests, arte povera has the advantage of being less expensive and allows the craftsman to decorate his creations without knowing painting.

This "paper marquetry" was invented in Venice in the middle of the 18th century. We also speak of "Lacca Povera". It will gradually disappear in the 19th century with the more sober and less ornate neoclassical style.

The decorations often represent genre scenes with characters, popular scenes, gallant scenes, chinoiserie decorations, etc.

The craftsmen obtained their supplies of books of engravings from itinerant image sellers. These polychrome vignettes were already pre-cut, ready to be glued.