History
Gilding is a decorational technique that applies a thin layer of gold, called “gold leaf ”, to different materials and objects, helping to enhance its beauty.
The gilding technique is mainly used for frames and furniture of great value, and in general, objects and artifacts.
Gilding was a very important technique in the medieval art and architecture, particularly in the Byzantine and Renaissance era.
Gold leafing was used in panel paintings, for the saints of the saints, or to represent the gleam of the sun.
Gold does not corrode and thanks to this feature many golden works of art have been reserved even to this day.
How does it work:
Gouache gilding is the traditional technique used since 1200 by great Italian and European artists.
The gold is laid first on the table and then moved on to a real painting.
The table is prepared by carving the edge of the area to be gilded, after which a sticky mixture is applied and finally the metal foil.
Mission gilding: the mission is a special compound used to apply gilding on limited parts, especially to enhance small parts of paintings.
The mission is a glue of linseed oil, resin and pigments, which is distributed with one or two coats of paint, using a small, soft brush. Today there are also vinyl missions, it’s faster to apply since pre-drying is not required.