Fonds documentaire Joseph Dufour

Wallpaper printed on wood planks became a fixture in apartment decorating during the 18th century and was highly in vogue after the Revolution, thanks in large part to technical refinements and the quality of wallpaper creators. During the first half of the 19th century, the production of floor-to-ceiling wall coverings, also known as panoramic murals, launched a typically French decorative style that would go on to enjoy tremendous success both domestically and abroad. Joseph Dufour, a Southern Burgundy native, was one of the most brilliant archetypes of this art, which today is coming back into fashion. Joseph Dufour was born in 1754 in the town of Tramayes into a family of modest means. Intelligent, hard-working and inventive, he learned his trade in Lyon and in 1797 set up shop in Mâcon. Propelled by the success earned from his panoramic design of "Pacific Ocean Storm" (an example of which is hanging at the Ursulines Museum in Mâcon), Joseph moved his operation in 1808 to Paris, from where his notoriety spread throughout the world. This documentation centre, managed by the Tourist Office, is responsible for cataloguing and making available for public consultation all information and documentary archives relative to Joseph Dufour and his work. The collection may be consulted by appointment.