Faux
Bois, is French for false wood, and is the artistic imitation of wood or
wood grains in several elements. This artistry dates back to the
Renaissance and trompe-l’oeil (deceive the eye), which is a technique involving
realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that objects exist in three
dimensions. Joseph Monier, inventor of ferrocement (reinforced concrete),
a combination of cement and sand coated over layers of woven steel mesh, designed
the first bridge of reinforced concrete over the moat at the Chateau Chazelet
in France in 1875. It was carved and molded to look like timbers and logs. In
Mexico and Texas, this craft is sometimes known as “El Trabajo Rustico” (The
Rustic Work) and has a more realistic look as compared to European work.
Dionicio Rodriquez, a Mexican who moved to Texas in the early 1920s is a highly
regarded artist who worked in this technique and his works have been listed on
the National Register of Historic Places.
