Rare examples of 17th-century paper-cutting ‘saved from skip’ to go on display (UK) 18/July/2024

Rare examples of 17th-century decorative paper-cutting found amid debris at a historic house in east London that was part of what was known as “the ladies’ university” are to go on display. Eight examples of the art form have been identified, including a hen embellished with coloured silk and a tiny folded star. They were discovered on a lintel where they are assumed to have settled after falling between floorboards about 350 years ago. Experts believe that girls attending a school based at Sutton House in Hackney were taught the art of intricate paper-cutting and folding along with other crafts such as embroidery and needlework. Designs were cut from books using tiny scissors, knives and pins, and then hand-coloured to use as decorations on boxes, bowls and other items. “It’s an art form that is discussed in 17th-century domestic manuals, but there is very little material survival – only three examples from 17th-century England, of which this is one,” said Isabella Rosner, an expe