Marbling

Marbling  is a complicated process and it is not known that where, how and by whom it was discovered. Water should be thickened with some substance like gum tragacanth or Irish moss and a very sensitive treatment is essential to prepare marbling paints. Pigments, ox gall and water are mixed together in order to ensure floating on the surface of the water, expanding and not mixing with each other. This combination needs a very precise knowledge and although there is no concrete evidence, it is assumed that a kind of marbling has been practised in Middle Asia in 8^th or 10^th Century depending on a text of Su Yijian under the name “liu sha jian”. Today the oldest sample remaining is from 12^th Century in China. In Japan, there is also several samples form 12^th Century, called “suminagashi”, which means “floating ink”. According to historical scripts, this technique existed in Samarkand and Bukhara in 15^th Century under the name of “abrî” which means “clouds”. Afterwards, marbling has appeared in India, Persia and Ottoman Empire where it gained significant importance. The earliest script in Ottoman Empire is “Tertib-i Risâle-i Ebrî”, where a master “Shebek” is mentioned. Most probably via Silk Road, marbling has reached Europe in 17^th Century and its description was published in “Ars Magna Lucis et Umbræ” in Rome and in the “Encyclopédie” edited by Denis Diderot. It was used especially in bookbinding in Italy, France, Spain and Germany and has spread throughout Europe with a variety of patterns named like “Firenze papier”, “French curl”, Spanish marble” or “Dutch pattern”.  In 18^th Century this technique has passed to England, Ireland and America, and became most popular in Victorian England. However in 20^th Century, marbling has disappeared around the world with a recent limited revival.