PRESERVATION OF WALLPAPERS AS PARTS OF INTERIORS

Historic types of wallpaper and decorative schemes of interiors
much less of the extent to which paper wall covers were used.
However, a few hints can be found of the use of wall covers in
a few manors and in the Old Town of Tallinn.
The interior decoration of the family Zoege von Manteuffel’s
residence in Rahukohtu 1 in Tallinn has been mentioned as a
good example of fashionable taste. The walls and ceiling of the
festive hall were decorated with stucco in the Rococo style, and
white panelling with gilded mouldings covered the walls. Other
rooms in the Manteuffel house were at that time covered with
very expensive wall covers with canvas and paper bases. 132
A few fragments of early wallpapers have been found in the
Albu manor. 133 According to the research on historic decorative
layers, the first layers may date back to just after 1742, when
the building was erected. The largest fragment was printed on a
thick rag-paper, which had been pasted together using separate
sheets. This was a common method of producing a continuous
roll of paper before it was possible to make it industrially. The
pattern shows an imitation of a strip of white lace with intertwining
blossoms on a pink background. (Fig. 35) This type of
pattern was widely used in Rococo interiors all over Europe.
Such patterns imitated a common design of woven and embroidered
textiles, which were widely used as wall covers. Several
reconstructions of such textiles can be seen in the interiors of
the Rundale Palace in Latvia. (Fig. 36)
Additional examples found in the Albu manor are two tiny
fragments: a hand-painted wallpaper and a piece of painted
canvas. The former depicts hastily painted leaves and flower
petals on a light blue background. (Fig. 37) Since the latter, the
fragment of canvas, is very small (ca 5 × 6 cm), it impossible to
say what kind of design it used to have. However, although the
decoration on the fragment is not informative, a small rusted
hole at its edge reveals a distinct mounting method. Painted
canvas wall covers were usually either nailed directly on a wall
132
Juhan Maiste, “Toompea aadlilinn” in Eesti kunsti ajalugu. II osa, 1520–1770, ed. by
Krista Kodres (Tallinn: Eesti Kunstiakadeemia, 2005), 263.
133
Albu mõisa peahoone. Arhitektuur-ajaloolised uurimused. A-4596. Estonian State
Archives (hereafter ERA), coll. 5025, inv. 2.,no. 5624. ERA.5025.2.5624, Main building
of Albu Manor reg. nr. 14948. Arhitectural research, 2000. ERA stands for Eesti Riigiarhiiv
(State Archives).
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