Lincrusta-Walton

Lincrusta is a type of wallcovering that was fashionable during the 19th century. The material could be made to look like embossed leather, though it was actually made from a mixture of wheat pulp and linseed oil that was poured into moulds and mass produced. It would also have been hand painted by artisans. In the photo of left, a portion of this delicate material was cleaned of decades of accumulated grime and smoke to reveal the vibrant original color.