Traditional but still contemporary, découpage or paper cutting is one of the living traditions of the Lake Geneva Region. In Château-d’Œx, in the heart of Pays-d’Enhaut, the birthplace of this artisan craft, a museum houses a collection of remarkable pieces, while working decoupage artists demonstrate their passion to the public.
The delicate details, the magic of a childlike world and the scenes of everyday life in times gone-by are the fascinating elements of a work of découpage.
Imported from the East, paper découpage found its birthplace in Pays-d’Enhaut, in the Vaudois Alps, home to the fathers of this art: Johann Jakob Hauswirth (1809-1871) and Louis Saugy (1871-1953). Several of their magnificent works are exhibited at the Musée du Pays-d’Enhaut, in Château-d’Œx.
While the découpages of the time portrayed everyday life in the mountain villages of yesteryear, the art of paper cutting has been brought up to date and contemporary works come in various forms. Artisans open up their workshops to share their passion for these works of art or even give some lessons in this historic but living craft.
