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History of froissage

Where froissage comes from: Surrealist chance methods such as frottage and decalcomania, Czech surrealism in Prague, and the post-war experimental artists.

Victor Hugo's 1857 ink-wash drawing Souvenir of a Castle in Vosges, a pale castle on a crag against a dark brown sky
History Victor Hugo Ink Drawings: Blots, Stencils and Stains Victor Hugo ink drawings explained: how the novelist used blots, stencils, lace and folding, his main periods, where to see the originals and how to try it. October 17, 2026
Wisps of smoke curling up from a just-extinguished candle against a dark background
History Fumage Art Technique: Drawing and Painting With Smoke The fumage art technique explained: how Wolfgang Paalen used candle smoke in the 1930s, who followed him, Ladislav Novák's smoke drawings and safe practice. October 16, 2026
Old sheet of brown paper covered in fine creases in which shapes and faces can be imagined
History Pareidolia in Art: Seeing Pictures in Stains and Creases Pareidolia in art from Leonardo's stained walls to Cozens' blots, Kerner's inkblots, Victor Hugo and froissage, with exercises to train your eye to see images. October 15, 2026
Sheet of paper folded into sharp facets, catching light and shadow
History Supports/Surfaces Movement: Folded, Crumpled, Unstretched Supports/Surfaces movement explained: the French group of 1969-1972 that took painting apart, its artists, its folded and crumpled canvases, and froissage. October 15, 2026
Sheets of coloured paper crumpled into loose balls and folds
History Chance in Art: How Artists Use Accidents on Purpose Chance in art explained: Arp's chance collages, Duchamp's dropped strings, surrealist froissage and decalcomania, Cage's I Ching, and exercises to try yourself. October 14, 2026
Decalcomania by Jindřich Štyrský from 1936 showing staring eyes emerging from a mottled painted texture
History Czech Surrealism and Froissage: The Prague Background How Czech surrealism shaped froissage: the 1934 Prague group, Štyrský and Toyen, decalcomania and smoke, and the poets Novák and Kolář who followed them. October 14, 2026
Old sheet of brown paper covered in fine creases and folds
History History of Froissage: From Surrealist Chance to Novák The history of froissage, from Max Ernst's frottage and Surrealist chance methods to Ladislav Novák, Jiří Kolář and the crumpled canvases of French painting. October 14, 2026
Decalcomania painting with branching orange and turquoise textures created by pressing paint between surfaces
History Surrealist Art Techniques: Froissage, Frottage and More Surrealist art techniques built on chance: frottage, grattage, decalcomania, fumage, collage and froissage, who used them and how to try each. October 14, 2026