Guided by Joan Sallas's hands, napkins transform into ornate structures, armadillos, giant griffins. But they do not, under any circumstances, mop up errant drops of barbecue sauce from the corner of your mouth.
By most accounts, Sallas, 48, is the world's best "virtuoso" napkin folder, more or less singlehandedly reviving the Baroque-style art after it peaked in 17th century German-speaking countries.
SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS OF SALLAS' IMPRESSIVE WORKS
According to the Agence France-Presse, European courts as far back as 1529 relied on the impressive, folded creations to wow guests. But the labor-intensive tradition slowly faded, disappearing completely until Sallas revived it.
Despite his hours of research, Sallas still can't wrap his head around recreating some of the ancient designs.
"My favourite piece is always the one I haven't deciphered yet, the one I don't know how to fold yet," he told AFP in 2010. "It is incredibly exciting for a researcher to investigate how an object was folded: you can sit there for days and nights, until you understand how an object was folded."
CNN reports that much of his work is based on ancient engravings and records dating back to Renaissance Italy.
At the end of an exhibition, Sallas dismantles all the napkins and starts anew. "This ephemeral quality is part of life," he told the Daily Mail in a January interview. "We are only here for a short time."
Sallas's works went on display at the Holburne Museum in Bath, England, at the beginning of February. The exhibition will continue to April.
PHOTOS of Joan Sallas and his virtuoso napkin folds:
Virtuoso Napkin Folding
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures(01 of18)
Artist Joan Sallas stands beside a 1.5 metre high folded linen table fountain he is displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (02 of18)
Frohmut Zscheckel helps put the finishing touches to artist Joan Sallas' new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (03 of18)
Detail of artist Joan Sallas' 1.5-metre-high folded linen table fountain he is displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (04 of18)
Detail of artist Joan Sallas' folded linen turkey he is displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (05 of18)
Detail of artist Joan Sallas' folded linen turkey he is displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (06 of18)
Frohmut Zscheckel helps put the finishing touches to artist Joan Sallas' 1.5-metre-high folded linen table fountain he is displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (07 of18)
Artist Joan Sallas works on some folded linen for his new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (08 of18)
Artist Joan Sallas works on some folded linen for his new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (09 of18)
Artist Joan Sallas' 1.5-metre-high folded linen table fountain is displayed as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (10 of18)
Frohmut Zscheckel helps artist Joan Sallas put the finishing touches to a 3 metre folded linen snake they are displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (11 of18)
Artist Joan Sallas (R) and Frohmut Zscheckel (L) put the finishing touches to a 3 metre folded linen snake they are displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (12 of18)
Artist Joan Sallas puts the finishing touches to a 3 metre folded linen snake he is displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (13 of18)
Artist Joan Sallas works on some folded linen for his new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (14 of18)
Detail of artist Joan Sallas' 1.5-metre-high folded linen table fountain he is displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (15 of18)
Detail of artist Joan Sallas' 1.5-metre-high folded linen table fountain he is displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (16 of18)
Artist Joan Sallas (not seen) works on some folded linen pieces he is displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (17 of18)
Artist Joan Sallas stands beside a 1.5 metre high folded linen table fountain he is displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Exhibition Of Extraordinary Fabric Sculptures (18 of18)
Artist Joan Sallas stands beside a 1.5 metre high folded linen table fountain he is displaying as part of a new exhibition 'Folded Beauty: Masterpieces in Linen', which is opening at the Holbourne Museum on January 31, 2013 in Bath, England. The exhibition of the lost art of linen folding, examples of which would once have graced the dining tables of Kings and Emperors in seventeenth century Europe, will include animals, flowers and even miniature buildings and fountains all made from intricately starched and folded linen. This is the first UK exhibition by the world's leading authority on historic linen folding who has previously exhibited his work across Europe and the USA. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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