Did you know that papier-mâché translates from French as "chewed paper"? The name came about because a French manufacturer hired girls specifically for this work.
The technique is much older than the name; it originally appeared in China. Some items have been found partially preserved to this day. And these are not masks or decorations — they're armor!
Yes, surprisingly, the army of the Southern Tang Empire wore paper armor. It was strong and lightweight, could withstand arrow strikes, and created an impressive, formidable appearance.
Another surprising fact — 80% of the antiques are also made of paper, for example the chandeliers, doors, and frames of the Yusupov Palace. The cumbersome metal chandeliers were too heavy for the wooden ceilings of that era.
I learned all this at the world's only "Museum of Living Paper" — here all the exhibits are made of papier-mâché.
It all started when two residents of Nizhny Novgorod bonded over their love of making birds; later they decided to open a museum. Since then it has become the symbol of the space — owls ("sleepy owls"), storks, and other unusual birds.
All the characters here are unique, have names and a history; their features are exaggerated and grotesque. Photos will tell you more about this — check out the photo album; I tried to collect a complete gallery of characters for our followers.
The largest exhibit is the Wishing Tree; its creation took 3 months of work and 3 km of paper, but in the end it weighed only 10 kg. There's a curious story associated with this exhibit.
Besides amazing stories, young visitors can expect masks, crowns, and armor — perfect for taking memorable photos.
