Editing Diapering

{{short description|Decorative pattern}}
{{About|the decorative motifs|other uses|Diaper (disambiguation)}}
[[File:Diapering on Diocese of Worcester shield.jpg|right|thumb|[[Arabesque (European art)|Arabesque]]-like diapering on the [[Field (heraldry)|field]] of the shield of the [[Anglican Diocese of Worcester|See of Worcester]]: ''Argent, ten [[roundel (heraldry)|torteaux]] four, three, two, and one'']]
[[File:Snuff Bottle (Biyanhu) with Children at Play LACMA M.71.100.10a-b (1 of 2) (cropped).jpg|thumb|Detail of Chinese [[carved lacquer]] snuff bottle with Children at Play, and three types of diaper backgrounds, representing ground, water and sky. 18th century]]
'''Diaper''' is any of a wide range of decorative patterns used in a variety of works of art, such as [[stained glass]], [[heraldic shield]]s, architecture, and silverwork. Its chief use is in the enlivening of plain surfaces.

==Etymology==
For the full etymology, see "{{linktext|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==
[[File:Diaper Flushwork (1608) at Bank Hall, Bretherton.jpg|thumb|Diamond or [[Lozenge (shape)|lozenge]] pattern diaper work from 1608 on the walls of [[Bank Hall]], Bretherton]]
In [[architecture]] and other [[decorative art]]s,  diaper is applied as a decorative treatment of a surface with a repeat pattern of squares ([[check (pattern)|chequers]]), rectangles, or [[Lozenge (shape)|lozenges]]. Diaper was particularly used in medieval [[stained glass]] to increase the vividness of a coloured pane, for example the field in a shield of arms.<ref>Boutell, Charles, Heraldry Historical & Popular, London 1863, p.36</ref> A stone wall may be decorated with such a pattern sculpted in [[relief]]; in [[brickwork]] the effect may be achieved by using bricks of different colours, or by allowing certain bricks to protrude from the wall's surface to create a regular diamond-shaped pattern. In English [[flushwork]], limestone and dark knapped [[flint]] are used. [[Architectural glass|Windows]] may be set in a diamond-shaped lattice.<ref name="vadnal">{{cite web|title=Glossary of Medieval Art and Architecture: Diaper|last=Vadnal|first=Jane|publisher=[[University of Pittsburgh]]|url=http://www.pitt.edu/~medart/menuglossary/diaper.htm|access-date=April 11, 2010}}</ref> In the manuscripts the diapering was used as an alternative to the [[gold ground]] primarily from the late 13th to 15th century, eventually replaced by the landscape background.{{sfn | Osborne | 1970 | p=314}}

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" ({{lang|zh|錦地}} {{transliteration|zh|jǐndì}}, {{abbr|lit.|literally}} ‘embroidery[-like] background’); this convention has continued to modern times.<ref>Garner, Harry. "Diaper Backgrounds on Chinese Carved Lacquer", ''Ars Orientalis'', vol. 6, 1966, pp. 165–189. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/4629227 JSTOR]</ref> They are also used on porcelains, especially borders.

== Textiles ==
[[Diaper (cloth)|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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Montgomery|first=Florence M.|url=https://archive.org/details/textilesinameric00mont|title=Textiles in America 1650-1870 : a dictionary based on original documents, prints and paintings, commercial records, American merchants' papers, shopkeepers' advertisements, and pattern books with original swatches of cloth|date=1984|publisher=New York; London : Norton|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-393-01703-8|pages=218}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Project Gutenberg eBook of Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume VIII Slice IV - Diameter to Dinarchus.|url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/32607/32607-h/32607-h.htm|access-date=2021-05-31|website=www.gutenberg.org}}</ref>
<gallery mode=packed heights=300>

File:Britannica Diaper.jpg|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 [[diaper]]s
File:Woolen diamond twill.jpg|A similar weave, also called a diamond [[twill]]
</gallery>

==Heraldry==
In [[heraldry]], '''diapering'''  is a technique in which those who emblazon, draw, paint, or otherwise depict [[Coat of arms|achievements of arms]] decorate large areas of flat colour by drawing [[hatching|crosshatches]] or [[Arabesque (European art)|arabesque]]s. There is no standard, and each artist is allowed individual idiosyncrasies.

===Excluded from blazon===
With very rare exceptions, diapering is not a part of the [[blazon]], but is mere decoration, or ornamental accessory. Thus a [[shield]] with diapering is considered the same as a shield of the same design but without diapering. For this reason diapering must not be so obtrusive or so heavily drawn that it could be mistaken for a substantive [[charge (heraldry)|charge]] or for a [[variation of the field]]. This is especially the case with diaper of simple cross-hatching which might be mistaken for a field of [[lozengy]].

===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);<ref name=HandJB>[https://books.google.com/books?id=-yINEv1wtFEC&dq=Fulton+of+Lochliboside&pg=PA159 Hastings Paul and James Balfour Paul, An Ordinary of Arms: Contained in the Public Register of All Arms and bearings in Scotland, p. 159] Accessed 1 March 2018</ref>
*Fulton of Park of Inchinnan, a [[Difference (heraldry)|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);<ref name=HandJB/>
*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).<ref>[http://www.ngw.nl/heraldrywiki/index.php/Cullen Cullen: Official blazon] at www.ngw.nl/heraldrywiki Accessed 2 March 2018</ref>

==Examples==
<gallery>

File:PercyArmsBeverleyMinster1350.jpg|Arms of Percy, [[Beverley Minster]], c.1350: ''A lion rampant''. The diaper decoration of squared [[quatrefoil]]s 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''<ref>Debrett's Peerage 1968, p.849, Duke of Northumberland arms, 1st & 4th grand quarters</ref>
File:ShieldOfWilliamDeValence.jpg|Arabesque diaper on the Heraldic shield of [[William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke]] (d.1296) from his tomb in [[Westminster Abbey]]. [[Champlevé]] enamel
File:Crewe Hall (garden front).jpg|Diaper work at [[Crewe Hall]], [[Cheshire]] built 1615–36
File:Norwich gaol.JPG|[[Flushwork]] diapering on the end of the Guildhall, [[Norwich]], 1407–12<ref>[http://trytel.com/~tristan/towns/florilegium/poppoli07.html Norwich Guildhall] at users.trytel.com, Accessed 1 March 2018</ref>

File:Heater shield diapered(1765).jpg|Diapering on the arms ("per [[Pale (heraldry)|pale]] [[nebuly]] [[argent]] and [[Azure (heraldry)|azure]]") as borne by the descendants of Rev. William Courtenay Thomas,<ref>Joseph A. Alexander (ed.), Who's Who in Australia 1955 (Melbourne: Colorgravure Publications, 1955), p.749.</ref> himself an [[agnatic]] descendant of Sir [[William ap Thomas]].
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Horror vacui (art)|Horror vacui]]

==References==
{{commons category|Diapering}}
{{reflist}}

== Sources ==
* {{cite book | last=Osborne | first=Harold | title=The Oxford Companion to Art | publisher=Oxford | date=1970 | isbn=0-19-866107-X | chapter = Diaper | page = 314}}

[[Category:Decorative arts]]
[[Category:Visual motifs]]
[[Category:Heraldry]]