Diapering

Diaper is any of a wide range of decorative patterns used in a variety of works of art, such as

Etymology

For the full etymology, see "diaper". The Oxford dictionary gives the Greek dia for "cross" as in "diamond" or "diagonal"; and aspros, Greek for "white". A white diamond or white cloth is used on the diagonal, hence the diagonal lattice or reticulation in patterning.

In art

In

In Chinese carved lacquer, a convention developed by which the areas of sky, water and floor or ground that would be left largely blank in paintings are filled in with discreet patterns derived from textiles, known as "diaper backgrounds" and also "brocade-grounds" (錦地 jǐndì, lit. ‘embroidery[-like] background’); this convention has continued to modern times.^[4] They are also used on porcelains, especially borders.

Textiles

Diaper in textiles refers to richly decorated fabrics with a small geometrical or floral pattern that consists of the constant repetition of one or more simple figures or units of design evenly spaced. The term was initially associated with silk with diamond patterns later applied to linen and cotton fabrics of similar designs.^[5][6]

• 
  A diaper weave, that is a weave creating a diamond pattern in the cloth. Such cloth is quite absorbent and was therefore used for babies'

  nappies, also called diapers
• 
  A similar weave, also called a diamond twill

Heraldry

In

Excluded from blazon

With very rare exceptions, diapering is not a part of the

Exceptions

There are at least three Scots coats whose blazon includes diaper:

• Fulton of Lochliboside, Az. diapered or semy of fleurs de lys of the last, on a fess arg. two boar's heads erased of the field (Public Register vol 1, p 551, 1789);^[7]
• Fulton of Park of Inchinnan, a
  difference of the above, Az. diapered or semy of fleurs de lys of the last, on a fess arg. a boar's head erased of the field (Public Register vol 1. pp 550–1);^[7]
• Royal Burgh of Cullen, a 20th-century armorial: Per fess sable and argent, in chief on a sedilla or cushioned gules diapered or the Blessed Virgin enthroned proper habited gules mantled azure crowned or and holding in her dexter hand a sceptre surmounted of a fleur de lis or and in her sinister arm the Holy Child enhaloed also proper in base a talbot passant of the first (Public Register, vol 41, p 37, 1956).[8]

Examples

• 
  Arms of Percy, Beverley Minster, c.1350: A lion rampant. The diaper decoration of squared quatrefoils in the field has not been included in the blazon. Were the shield to show the tinctures, the blazon would be: Or, a lion rampant azure^[9]
• 
  Arabesque diaper on the Heraldic shield of William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke (d.1296) from his tomb in Westminster Abbey. Champlevé enamel
• 
  Diaper work at Crewe Hall, Cheshire built 1615–36
• 
  Flushwork diapering on the end of the Guildhall, Norwich, 1407–12^[10]
• 
  Diapering on the arms ("per

  agnatic descendant of Sir William ap Thomas

  .

• Horror vacui

References

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