The origin of the cartouche, a distinctive feature of Baroque decoration

The cartouche was introduced from Egypt and became a representative decoration of Baroque art.

Cartouche is a general term for a spiral border used in many fields of European decorative arts, including architecture, painting, and crafts.

In architecture, the decoration itself is formed into a three-dimensional form, and in the case of antique items, it is common to see decorations carved into the surface of sterling silver tobacco cases and letter cases.

There are other items such as pocket watches, but since I often receive engraving jobs that arrange these antiques, I use the two items mentioned above as representative examples.

Cartouches of Egyptian Origin

A cartouche is an oval symbol that originally surrounded the name of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh.

It is said to surround and protect the Pharaoh's person as a symbol of "eternity."

It spread from Egypt to Europe through exchanges in regions bordering the Mediterranean Sea, and became the basis for the later Baroque decorative cartouche.

The word's etymology is said to be from the ancient Greek word "cartes" (papyrus paper). Before paper was introduced to the Iberian Peninsula and Italy in the 12th century, parchment and papyrus were used to create scrolls, and as such cartouche decoration takes on a spiral shape, it is sometimes translated into Japanese as "scroll decoration."

The development of the cartouche due to Baroque excessive ornamentation

The cartouche, combined with the excessive scrollwork of the Baroque, developed alongside the increasing expansion of decoration.

The design will be so elaborate that it will give the illusion of being the main feature, like the luxurious picture frames that we have all seen.

The cartouche, accentuated by the scroll-like decoration of stucco ornaments seen in Francis I's Palace of Fontainebleau, was imitated in various places and developed throughout the 18th century.