# What is this type of art called? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 26, 2004, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-art-called/256902 "2004-07-26T06:07:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-art-called/256902/1 "2004-07-26T06:07:22Z")
This is a little framed and signed paper cutout of extremely fine detail I ran across while poking around in various stores. The scene inside the frame is about 7 x 7 inches. What is this type of art called? It’s signed “White 95” right under the right hand flamingo. [The pic](http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cpeek001/sDCP_2237.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-art-called/256902/2 "2004-07-26T06:33:56Z")
I’ve heard it called silhouette. [Here’s](http://imdb.com/title/tt0015532/) an animated film made entirely of such figures, the first animated feature film ever made. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-art-called/256902/3 "2004-07-26T07:50:38Z")
Yup, [silhouettes](http://www.mpnewspapers.com/nypacollector/features/282294240998594.php). The technique was used both for quick portraits, as well as for illustrations, protest-pamphlets, and to celebrate and remember important events. For instance, a wedded couple, or a city council, would pay to have a cut-out made to celebrate an anniversary. It was basically the poor mans oil-painting. 🙂 These cut-outs could get quite elaborate, as your example shows. It used to be big before the invention of photography, in the West as well as in the [Far east](http://www.qingyunge.com/qygnews/news/xw/qyg/japanzl/1eng.htm). I like making silhoutteportraits myself, as a [hobby](http://members.lycos.nl/kwispelgerst/photoalbum0.html)) ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-art-called/256902/4 "2004-07-26T10:37:29Z")
Isn’t this a much more complicated technique than just silhouette? I seem to remember something called _schnerensnitte_[please excuse what I’m sure are massive spelling errors], or something close to it. ---
**Author:** ![electrozion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/85f322/32.png) [@electrozion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/electrozion)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-art-called/256902/5 "2004-07-26T11:08:27Z")
> [@quiltguy154](#): > > Isn’t this a much more complicated technique than just silhouette? I seem to remember something called _schnerensnitte_[please excuse what I’m sure are massive spelling errors], or something close to it. Scherenschnitt is german for the same thing. (Schere = scissor, Schnitt = cut) I did a google image search today - on something totally unrelated, and found [this.](http://www.samstagnachmittag.de/papercuts.html) ---
**Author:** ![tsarina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@tsarina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsarina)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-art-called/256902/6 "2004-07-26T20:18:37Z")
Yup, that’s either Scherenschnitte or wysanki (the same thing, but made in Poland). These tend to portray more traditional scenes and have finer detail then regular silhouettes. Aren’t they gorgeous? I could look at them all day, and I’d love to learn how to make them.