Papercutting

The art and craft of cutting paper into artistic, symbolic, and useful items is an international phenomenon with a history as old as paper itself. Papercutting has been done by school children and Chinese peasants, by skilled artists and accomplished amateurs. The resulting work can be as simple and direct as a portrait silhouette, or incredibly intricate and laden with religious symbolism. Papercuts can be found in many cultures around the world and are being made today with an eye towards both past techniques and current innovations. Kreisel presents an illustrated and annotated bibliography of books and articles on papercutting in many of its variations and natural origins, with a catalog of selected collections of papercuts that can be found in museums, historical societies, and libraries in the U.S.