The Ancient Art of Intarsia

Intarsia is the making of decorative pictures by laying various natural woods into groundwork of solid wood. Through the centuries craftsman have created beautiful works of art from wood. Intarsia is seen in the history of ancient Egypt, Persia, eight-century Japan and Imperial Rome. However the Sienese of Italy are the most noted for their work with carvings dating back to the 13th century. However since intarsia is so labor intensive, it was primarily found in the homes of the elite. Over time intarsia became a lost art; However, in recent years, due to the modernization of man and equipment, intarsia has again became extremely popular.