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For many of us these day, the cloth napkin has been relegated to the back of the linen closet. Not so for Catalan artist, Joan Sallas, who demonstrates that the art of napkin folding can be both stunningly beautiful and very creative. Originally an origami paper artist, Sallas became fascinated with historic napkin and linen folding. He has meticulously researched and mastered this forgotten art and is now the world's leading virtuoso folder. He has almost singlehandedly revived the extraordinary art that first appeared in Renaissance Italy but reached its zenith in German-speaking lands in the 17th century.

Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen by Joan Callas, currently on exhibit at Waddesdon Manor in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, features displays of Renaissance and Baroque folding patterns. The exhibit remains on view through October 27.

From the manor's website: "The exhibition celebrates the art of folding. When applied to linen, it was used to make table decorations of great intricacy and beauty, both for display and practical use. All of the creations at Waddesdon were made by Joan Sallas, who lives and works in Germany, and are based on documented historical patterns.

From 22 May, you can see a 1.5m-high table fountain flanked by heraldic beasts on the table in the Dining Room, a snake and numerous animals, vegetables and architectural features – all original designs that would have graced the tables of courts and those of high-society across Europe. The scale of the linen creations vividly recreates the drama of the dining experience in the Baroque age and relates to the 18th-century ceramics and silver in the collection at Waddesdon."

Folded beauty - masterpieces in linen by Joan Sallas from Waddesdon Manor on Vimeo.