Going with The Grain: Q&A with Lison de Caunes, the Grande Dame of Straw Marquetry
Report 13 cover star Lison de Caunes – granddaughter of Art Deco master André Groult – tells The Textile Eye about growing up in her acclaimed grandfather’s design studio, reviving straw marquetry savoir faire, and why the material is so popular for furniture and interiors today.
A preview of our Q&A with Lison de Caunes, excerpted from from Report 13: Paris in Spring.
Going with the Grain
As a child, Lison de Caunes became fascinated by the forgotten art form of straw marquetry after discovering it in her designer grandfather’s workshop. A lifelong passion for the entirely manual craft led her to revolutionize the traditional technique with her own innovative applications, while also reviving interest in straw marquetry. In the early 1970's, Lison began working with straw marquetry, restoring masterpieces from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Excited to modernize the medium, she established Ateliers Lison de Caunes in 1978, and began collaborating with designers like Peter Marino, Cabinet Alberto Pinto, Hubert le Gall, Vincent Darré and Mathieu Lahanneur, and luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Cartier. In 2015, she launched her own brand of furniture and objects, Lison de Caunes Créations. Today, her artisanal, sustainable furniture, objects, and wallcoverings bear the hallmarks of her continual quest for modernization—exquisite objects of art elevated by gold leaf, mother-of-pearl, and molten glass inlays.
High-End, Low Carbon
“Straw marquetry is one of the only materials today that brings such a shine without a glittering effect–and without adding varnish” Lison notes. “Also, the environmental aspect of the raw material (each year the rye straw is harvested by specialized cereal growers in the Burgundy region of France) is an essential element in design today. Plus, the technique does not require water or machinery and thereby no electricity is used in the production process, lending straw marquetry a low carbon footprint. Despite its seemingly fragile appearance, straw marquetry is much more resilient than you might think, making it a suitable material for wall applications as well as furniture.”
Making Historical Craft Modern
When asked about her craft ethos, Lison replies, “I am very inspired by decorative art, but I am also influenced by the 17th century craft of straw marquetry. I have a real desire to modernize and innovate my knowledge and skills.”
“Most of the time, designers or interior designers come to us with a project (table, cabinets, entire rooms) that they want to be covered in straw. We then choose with them the best pattern and color. We receive MDF panels or MDF pieces of furniture in our workshop in Paris where everything is made either by me or one of the artisans who work at the workshops. When the project is entire walls, the panels are sent on-site, installed, and then we come to do the final touch-ups and finishes.”