Tabea Vietzke

Straw marquetry maker

Entranced by a traditional craft

Straw marquetry dates back to the 17th century
Tabea uses it for almost everything from furniture to jewellery
This craft is now incredibly rare

The trigger for Tabea Vietzke’s passion for straw marquetry lies 300 years in the past. “It happened when I first saw the works of 18th century straw marquetry master CF Hering, which have not lost any of their brilliance. Their colours still shine like on the first day,” she says. Tabea was entranced by straw marquetry “with its silky golden shine” and felt she “had no choice but to devote myself to this technique”. It comes as no surprise that it was her profession as a restorer that led her to discover the traditional art of straw marquetry, since the craft is almost extinct today. However, it was the successful example of master artisan Lison de Caunes that gave her the confidence to pursue this path.

Interview

What exactly is straw marquetry?: It is a decoration technique from the 17th century in which straw is colourfully dyed, opened lengthwise, smoothed and then glued on a carrier medium to form patterns or pictures. The technique can be used for furniture and caskets, but also for wall panelling and jewellery.
How do you combine tradition and innovation?: I use traditional techniques as they are described in historical sources and combine them with modern designs. The light reflection on the absolutely straight straw is particularly effective in geometric shapes and patterns. Therefore, I try to connect an ancient practice with modern aesthetics.
What is it that makes straw as a material so special?: It is such an unobtrusive, ubiquitous material, which experiences a true metamorphosis if the right technique is applied, ultimately turning it into a dazzling work of art – that is an incredibly fascinating process. It doesn't require any big machines or complicated devices, but skill, precision and most of all patience.
What is the biggest obstacle to this craft's resurgence?: During my research I realised that a lot of the preserved straw marquetry objects are often discounted as 'folksy tinkering' and therefore assigned to a section of art history that is only mildly noteworthy. Indeed, it is overlooked that straw marquetry was widely appreciated in both common and royal circles during the last centuries.

Tabea Vietzke is a rising star: she began her career in 2016