About Marquetry
Marquetry is not just a decorative technique. It is the language of wood. A language that speaks in silence, shadow, and form. It is a way to preserve history - in veneer, pattern, line. Those who know this language know that wood is silent, but never lies.
After a recent visit to the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna (MAK), we left in silence. The halls were quiet, but inside it was noisy. From the beauty. From the precision. We realised that marquetry is not just a decoration. It's a reflection of time. It is a way of seeing the world. It is a deep aesthetic that can be barely perceptible, like the touch of fingers on a wooden surface.
Did you know that back in the 15th century, craftsmen created scenes from wooden veneer with the same details as in a painting? And that in Japan, geometry became a prayer, and in France, it was the luxury of royal furniture?
What is marquetry?
Marquetry (from the French marqueterie) is an artistic inlay technique that uses thin pieces of veneer from different types of wood, sometimes metal, mother-of-pearl or bone. They are combined like pieces of a mosaic to create designs, ornaments or scenes. This is woodcarving.
In the 21st century, marquetry is coming alive again. The tools have become thinner and the ideas deeper. Craftsmen are no longer limited to tables or boxes. They look for form in light, dynamics, and movement. Marc Fish is one of them.
His works are symphonies of wood and space. In the Ethereal series, thin layers of veneer seem to float in resin, creating the effect of light underwater. His Ethereal Drinks Cabinet is made up of 2000 hand-carved elements that fold into a dynamic depth.
And the Nautilus Table is made up of 4000 fragments assembled in the shape of a nautilus shell - a symbol of the harmony of nature.
Marc Fish doesn't just work with veneered wood - he listens to it. Each layer, each bend, each gap between the plates is thought out, verified, and tangible. His works are not just furniture. It is a movement. It is a thought. It is silence that speaks.
There are not many marquetry masters in Ukraine, but they are real, dedicated, and precise. And most importantly, they do not just create things, but share their knowledge.WOODINS Teen Studio is a creative workshop for teenagers where they learn the art of marquetry. There, children do not just cut wood - they learn to hear the shape, see the rhythm, and create with respect for the material. This is the school of the future.
RUDA Studio (Odesa) works with straw marquetry. Their works are light, light, almost airy.
Scientists at the Lviv National Technical University (Lviv) study the technique in depth and systematically, creating the basis for the revival of the tradition.
Marquetry is not just a decoration. It is a memory embedded in the material. It is the movement of a finger on a veneer that leaves a trace of thought. It is a silence that speaks. And we want this silence to be heard again. In Ukrainian studios. In the hands of teenagers who are now studying at WOODINS Teen Studio, which we are happy to support and urge you to pay attention to this project. In the works of craftsmen who keep the tradition alive and look forward boldly.
"The tree was silent. But it was alive."
