"Scherenschnitt" redirects here. For the play by Paul Pörtner, see
Shear Madness.
Scherenschnitte (German pronunciation:[ˈʃeːʁənˌʃnɪtə]), which means "scissor cuts" in
German, is the art of
paper cutting design. The artwork often has rotational symmetry within the design, and common forms include silhouettes, valentines, and love letters. The art tradition was founded in
Switzerland and
Germany in the 16th century and was brought to
Colonial America in the 18th century by Swiss and German immigrants who settled primarily in
Pennsylvania.