Dessauerschen Buntpapierfabrik

Dessauerschen Buntpapierfabrik was a German manufacturing and publishing entity, active around 1850, specializing in Buntpapier or decorative colored papers and pictorial sheets. Operating during the mid-19th century, the factory’s output focused primarily on commercial, often instructional, prints and sheets suitable for popular consumption, scrapbooking, or decorative applications.

Fourteen examples of the Dessauerschen Buntpapierfabrik's production are represented in museum collections, confirming the firm's role in the popular print trade. These works demonstrate an emphasis on clear illustration and accessible thematic content, including natural history and human endeavor.

Notable sheets held in collections include the thematic series Blad met twaalf ambachten in drie rijen van vier kaders (Sheet with twelve trades in three rows of four frames) and natural history subjects such as Blad met dieren (Sheet with animals) and two versions of Blad met verschillende vogels, one of which incorporates flowers and fruit.

The factory's output is preserved in major institutional holdings, including the Rijksmuseum. As these 19th-century commercial works enter the public domain, many of the original Dessauerschen Buntpapierfabrik prints are available as downloadable artwork resources, providing scholars and enthusiasts access to high-quality prints documenting mid-century European manufacturing techniques.