Dining Room Wallpaper

The interlacing motif on this block-printed paper from France or the United States is known in architectural circles as strapwork. It’s often seen with faux shadow lines to mimic carved woodwork and create a sense of depth. In this example, probably put in around 1860, the paperhanger installed it upside down, overlooking the fact that the shadow lines are meant to suggest the paper is lit from above.