The watermark

This is the name given to the image that appears in the paper when it is held up to the light.
This effect is obtained by varying the thickness of the sheet of paper and it serves to authenticate and personalise the paper.
Over the centuries, innumerable designs have been used – drawings, coats of arms, symbols – to identify paper mills, to personalise and officialise certain documents and to avoid the counterfeiting of banknotes.
There are two types of watermark, the clear watermark (line drawing) and the shaded watermark, which appeared in the 20^th century and of which ARCHES^® has developed several designs. A few examples: the “Santa Maria” to decorate writing paper, the illustration of a bas-relief for the Coty perfume company, a drawing of cherubs for a menu.

Extracts from “LE FILIGRANE ou l’approche de la lumière par l’occident”,  a book by Georges DETERSANNES published in 1993 by Les Publications du Musée de l’Affiche et du Tract.