Flemish strapwork

Flemish strapwork is a decorative motif characterized by flat relief, featuring interlaced scrollwork, braiding, shield forms, or cross-hatching, often with pierced circular or oval holes. This style, typically made from wood, metal, or plaster, developed from Islamic metalwork and was widely used in the 16th and early 17th centuries, becoming a hallmark of Mannerist decoration.1

In Flanders and the Netherlands, strapwork was extensively developed and was frequently the sole form of ornamentation in architectural and furniture design. Flemish and German woodworkers introduced strapwork to England in the late 16th century, and it later gained popularity in French decoration in the 18th century.1