Inlaid Wood

History of Inlaid Wood in Sorrento......

The origin of Sorrentine ‘inlaid wood’ work dates back to the sixth century with the Benedictine monks, although in the sixteenth century several master carpenters from Sorrento were already executing the inlaying of wood for Neapolitan churches and also noble palaces.

A real cabinet-making industry has only grown since the beginning of the 1800s. The promoter of the upsurge of ‘inlaid wood’ work as an industry was a sorrentine cabinet-maker called Antonio Damora. In 1825 he was summoned to Naples to collaborate with the German G. Fischer, who had been called by King Francis I of Bourbon to work at the restoration of furniture of the royal palace. Under Fischer, Damora became perfect in inlaid wood working as a contour. Upon his return to Sorrento Damora opened a laboratory where he taught and started off many young men at the art of ‘inlaid wood’, consequently many cabinet-makers shops arose around the old town centre.

Around 1840 a Frenchman brought the first samples of coloured wood to Sorrento and began the stating of wood for inlaid-wood in colour. He also taught the technique of making strips of coloured mosaics to contour the sorrentine works. In 1866 an art school was instituted to initiate the younger generation in the art of ‘inlaid wood’, a patient delicate job which transforms a slender piece of wood into an elegant embroidery for an infinite number of objects. At first marquetry was closely tied to wood engraving and decorations reproducing Pompeian and classic motifs. Later the engravings acquired a more realistic trend. Craftsmen began to represent landscapes, so enriching the artistic content. In a brief period a long line of master artisans was formed creating the basis for the development of an art which has given Sorrento world fame, and which represents to-day one of the mainstays of the local economy.