Gilding is a decorative technique for applying a very thin coating of gold over solid surfaces such as metal (most common), wood, porcelain , or stone. A gilded object is also described as "gilt". Where metal is gilded, the metal below was traditionally silver in the West, to make silver-gilt (or vermeil ) objects, but gilt-bronze is commonly used in China, and also called ormolu if it is Western. Methods of gilding include hand application and gluing, typically of gold leaf , chemical gilding, and electroplating , the last also called gold plating . Parcel-gilt (partial gilt) objects are only gilded over part of their surfaces. This may mean that all of the inside, and none of the outside, of a chalice or similar vessel is gilded, or that patterns or images are made up by using a combination of gilt and ungilted areas.
48-674: The Golden Virgin , also known as The Leaning Virgin , is a gilded sculpture by the French artist Albert Roze originally completed in 1897 and installed on the rooftop of the Basilica of Our Lady of Brebières ( French : Basilique Notre-Dame de Brebières ) in Albert, France . Regarded as a symbol of French resilience during World War I , the artwork portrays the Virgin Mary presenting Christ Child heavenward. In 1915, German shelling knocked over
96-408: A camel ) arranged in a single or double row along a flat ferrule made of wood or cardboard. In order to transfer the gold leaf, the hairs are first given a very light coating of adhesive by brushing them against a surface such as the back of the user's hand which has been coated with a thin layer of petroleum jelly (a common misconception is that static electricity causes the gold foil to attach to
144-474: A publication now in the public domain : Chisholm, Hugh , ed. (1911). " Gilding ". Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 12 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 13–14. The Bellman (literary magazine) The Bellman was a 20th-century literary magazine based in Minneapolis Minnesota . The magazine was published from 1906 to 1919 and it was considered to be one of
192-622: A site every day, I made the best of it and examined the statue from near at hand making several circles round it. In 1914, World War I had begun and 80 percent of the German Army had mobilized and were positioned on the Western Front . By the end of 1914, German troops held strong defensive positions inside France. In 1914, German forces suspected a French observation post was housed in the church's bell tower so beginning in October 1914, they shelled
240-501: A thin layer of bitumen underneath to help adhesion. The next advances involved two simple processes. The first involves gold leaf, which is gold that is hammered or cut into very thin sheets. Gold leaf is often thinner than standard paper today, and when held to the light is semi-transparent. In ancient times it was typically about ten times thicker than today, and perhaps half that in the Middle Ages . If gilding on canvas or on wood,
288-439: Is a type of gilding brush used for transferring sheets of metal leaf to either a surface that has been prepared to accept the leaf or to a gilder's block where the leaf is then cut with a gilder's knife into smaller portions before being transferred to the prepared surface. The hairs on a gilder's tip are usually made of either blue squirrel hair or the hair of a badger (sometimes other hairs are also used, such as that of
336-401: Is applied to numerous and diverse surfaces and by various processes. More traditional techniques still form an important part of framemaking and are sometimes still employed in general woodworking , cabinet -work, decorative painting and interior decoration , bookbinding , and ornamental leather work, and in the decoration of pottery , porcelain, and glass . Herodotus mentions that
384-433: Is performed by a solution of gold in aqua regia , applied by dipping a linen rag into the solution, burning it, and rubbing the black and heavy ashes on the silver with the finger or a piece of leather or cork. Wet gilding is effected by means of a dilute solution of gold(III) chloride in aqua regia with twice its quantity of ether . The liquids are agitated and allowed to rest, to allow the ether to separate and float on
432-405: Is then applied with a small brush, and as it evaporates it deposits the gold, which can now be heated and polished. For small delicate figures, a pen or a fine brush may be used for laying on the ether solution. The gold(III) chloride can also be dissolved in water in electroless plating wherein the gold is slowly reduced out of solution onto the surface to be gilded. When this technique is used on
480-423: Is then exposed to heat, before being quenched in water. By this method, the color of the gilding is further improved and brought nearer to that of gold, probably by removing any particles of copper that may have been on the gilt surface. This process, when skillfully carried out, produces gilding of great solidity and beauty. This method of gilding metallic objects was formerly widespread, but fell into disuse as
528-435: Is wrought or chased, the application of mercury before the amalgam is applied allows for it to be more easily spread. When the surface of the metal is plain, the amalgam can be applied to it directly. When no such preparation is applied, the surface to be gilded is simply bitten and cleaned with nitric acid . A deposit of mercury is obtained on a metallic surface by means of quicksilver water, a solution of mercury(II) nitrate ,
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#1732855506345576-564: The Egyptians gilded wood and metals, and many such objects have been excavated. Certain Ancient Greek statues of great prestige were chryselephantine , i.e., made of gold (for the clothing) and ivory (for the flesh); these however, were constructed with sheets of gold over a timber framework, not gilded. Extensive ornamental gilding was also used in the ceiling coffers of the Propylaea . Pliny
624-595: The Spaniards . The surface is etched with acids, resulting in a surface of porous gold. The porous surface is then burnished down, resulting in a shiny gold surface. The results fooled the conquistadors into thinking they had massive quantities of pure gold. The results startled modern archaeologists , because at first the pieces resemble electroplated articles. Keum-boo is a special Korean technique of silver-gilding, using depletion gilding . The gilding of decorative ceramics has been undertaken for centuries, with
672-728: The Basilique in order to deprive the Germans of the elevated position, and the statue was toppled. It was never recovered. By 28 September 1918, the sculpture was reported to have fallen and only partial walls of the Basilica were left standing. German troops had destroyed the building including the basement. German troops also set clockwork bombs which were timed to explode three weeks after they left. Coincidentally, World War I ended 11 November 1918. According to 23 November 1918 report in The Bellman : It
720-598: The Elder recorded that the first gilding seen at Rome was after the destruction of Carthage , under the censorship of Lucius Mummius , when the Romans began to gild the ceilings of their temples and palaces, the Capitol being the first place where this process was used. Gilding became a popular luxury within Rome soon after the introduction of the technique, with gilding soon being seen used on
768-467: The best literary periodicals. The Bellman Company began publishing the magazine in 1906. It was edited by William Crowell Edgar. In 1918 editor William Stanley Braithwaite writing for the Anthology of Magazine Verse stated that the magazine was "the best edited and most influential periodical published." he went on to say that it was widely read in the east. It was almost the first magazine to publish
816-434: The body; the mercury used in the process also evaporates into the atmosphere, thus polluting it. This process has generally been supplanted by the electroplating of gold over a nickel substrate , which is more economical and less dangerous. In depletion gilding, a subtractive process discovered in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica , articles are fabricated by various techniques from an alloy of copper and gold, named tumbaga by
864-412: The brush, but this is not so) and then laying the edge of the brush along the edge of the piece of metal foil. The jelly will cause the metal to adhere very gently to the hairs and allow the piece to be floated from the paper surface on which had previously been stored. Because the leaf is so thin, this must be done in a room with extremely still air, and the user of the tip usually does not breathe until
912-426: The dangers of mercury toxicity became known. Since fire-gilding requires that the mercury be volatilized to drive off the mercury and leave the gold behind on the surface, it is extremely dangerous. Breathing the fumes generated by this process can quickly result in serious health problems, such as neurological damage and endocrine disorders , since inhalation is a very efficient route for mercuric compounds to enter
960-420: The decorated ware is fired in a kiln to fuse the gold to the glaze and hence ensure its permanence. The most important factors affecting coating quality are the composition of applied gold, the state of the surface before application, the thickness of the layer and the firing conditions. A number of different forms and compositions are available to apply gold to ceramic, and these include: A gilder's tip
1008-500: The dome. In 1915, during the Battle of the Somme , the sculpture was shelled and left leaning at an angle of more than 90 degrees to the vertical axis. By 7 January 1915, the dome was destroyed and by 21 January, the base of the statue was hit and the statue "tilted alarmingly". Although artillery shells destroyed much of the town of Albert, the statue of Mary remained attached to the Basilica but
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#17328555063451056-405: The following substances: red ochre , verdigris , copper scales, alum , vitriol , and borax . By this operation the color of the gilding is heightened, as a result of the perfect dissipation of some of the remaining mercury. The gilt surface is then covered over with potassium nitrate , alum or other salts, ground together, and mixed into a paste with water or weak ammonia . The piece of metal
1104-446: The gold as pigment in paint: the artist ground the gold into a fine powder and mixed it with a binder such as gum arabic . The resulting gold paint, called shell gold , was applied in the same way as with any paint. Sometimes, after either gold-leafing or gold-painting, the artist would heat the piece enough to melt the gold slightly, ensuring an even coat. These techniques remained the only alternatives for materials like wood, leather,
1152-467: The gold leaf was layered on using a gilder's tip and left to dry before being burnished with a piece of polished agate . Those gilding on canvas and parchment also sometimes employed stiffly-beaten egg whites ("glair"), gum , and/or Armenian bole as sizing, though egg whites and gum both become brittle over time, causing the gold leaf to crack and detach, and so honey was sometimes added to make them more flexible. Other gilding processes involved using
1200-454: The leaf is in place. Once the leaf has settled, it is often burnished with polished piece of agate to achieve a high degree of brilliance. Gilder's tips are necessary because touching the metal leaf with the finger tips would immediately cause the leaf to lose its coherent flattened shape and crumble irretrievably into metallic dust which then cannot be used for any purpose. [REDACTED] This article incorporates text from
1248-461: The leaning statue was a fascination for many; it appeared on many postcards of the time. The actions of French engineers who shored it up continue to be a source of amazement. Over 100 years later, it remains a symbol of the triumph of good over evil . It is a landmark, a tourist attraction, and an artistic inspiration. The events surrounding the church and its sculpture are the subject of Henry Williamson 's 1957 novel The Golden Virgin ; volume 6 of
1296-402: The mercury has evaporated, indicated by the surface taking on a dull yellow color, the metal must undergo further steps to exhibit its fine gold color. First, the gilded surface is rubbed with a scratch brush of brass wire, until its surface is smooth. It is then covered with gilding wax, and again exposed to fire until the wax is burnt off. Gilding wax is composed of beeswax mixed with some of
1344-563: The metallic surface at a temperature just under red-hot, pressing the leaf on with a burnisher, then reheating when additional leaf may be laid on. The process is completed by cold burnishing. "Overlaying" or folding or hammering on gold foil or gold leaf is the simplest and most ancient method, and is mentioned in Homer 's Odyssey and the Old Testament . The Ram in a Thicket (2600–2400 BC) from Ur describes this technique used on wood, with
1392-404: The mixture is stirred with an iron rod, the gold is totally absorbed. The proportion of mercury to gold is generally six or eight to one. When the amalgam is cold, it is squeezed through chamois leather to separate the superfluous mercury; the gold, with about twice its weight of mercury, remains behind, forming a yellowish silvery mass with the consistency of butter. When the metal to be gilded
1440-414: The nitric acid attacking the metal to which it is applied, and thus leaving a film of free metallic mercury. After the amalgam is equally spread over the prepared surface of the metal, the mercury is then carefully volatilized with heat just sufficient to do so, as a temperature too high may cause part of the gold to be driven off, or otherwise run together, leaving some of the metal surface bare. When
1488-419: The operations in which gold leaf is prepared, and the processes to mechanically attach the gold onto surfaces. The techniques include burnishing , water gilding and oil-gilding used by wood carvers and gilders; and the gilding operations of the house decorator, sign painter, bookbinder , the paper stainer and several others. Polished iron, steel and other metals are gilded mechanically by applying gold leaf to
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1536-427: The permanence and brightness of gold appealing to designers. Both porcelain and earthenware are commonly decorated with gold, and in the late 1970s it was reported that 5 tonnes of gold were used annually for the decoration of these products. Some wall tiles also have gold decoration. Application techniques include spraying , brushing , banding machines, and direct or indirect screen-printing . After application
1584-471: The power of the enemy waned, and this leaning statue certainly marked the high tide of the German invasion. Residents discussed placing the sculpture in its famous war-time pose but later decided to place it in its original standing pose. The sculpture of The Golden Virgin was recast in 1929 and fitted atop the 76 m (249 ft 4 in) bell tower during the reconstruction of the Basilica. A photograph of
1632-499: The second surface of glass and backed with silver, it is known as " Angel gilding ". Fire-gilding or wash-gilding is a process by which an amalgam of gold is applied to metallic surfaces, the mercury being subsequently volatilized , leaving a film of gold or an amalgam containing 13 to 16% mercury. In the preparation of the amalgam, the gold must first be reduced to thin plates or grains, which are heated red-hot, and thrown into previously heated mercury, until it begins to smoke. When
1680-499: The series A Chronicle of Ancient Sunlight . It was selected as a Daily Mail Book of the Month. On September 8, a novena is celebrated to honor The Leaning Virgin . Gilding Gilding gives an object a gold appearance at a fraction of the cost of creating a solid gold object. In addition, a solid gold piece would often be too soft or too heavy for practical use. A gilt surface also does not tarnish as silver does. Modern gilding
1728-472: The site in 1898. Leo XIII christened the church and seeing The Golden Virgin , he called the basilica the " Lourdes of the North". The sculpture was fastened atop the bell tower. In 1915, it was leaning after 2,000 shells hit the town and basilica. Engineers fastened a chain to prevent it from toppling. The sculpture was installed atop the basilica in 1897. By 1910, it was a landmark atop the basilica. The sculpture
1776-450: The statue, and it nearly toppled again due to shellfire during the 1916 Battle of the Somme . After falling in 1918 as a result of British bombardment, the statue went missing. Its destruction took on mythical proportions, with the anticipated toppling superstitiously believed to influence the war's outcome. Eventually, the statue was recast and replaced in 1929. The Golden Virgin was designed by French sculptor Albert Roze in 1897 and it
1824-420: The surface of the acid. The whole mixture is then poured into a separating funnel with a small aperture, and allowed to rest for some time, when the acid is run off from below and the gold dissolved in ether separated. The ether will be found to have taken up all the gold from the acid, and may be used for gilding iron or steel, for which purpose the metal is polished with fine emery and spirits of wine . The ether
1872-448: The surface was often first coated with gesso . "Gesso" is a substance made of finely ground gypsum or chalk mixed with glue. Once the coating of gesso had been applied, allowed to dry, and smoothed, it was re-wet with a sizing made of rabbit-skin glue and water ("water gilding", which allows the surface to be subsequently burnished to a mirror-like finish) or boiled linseed oil mixed with litharge ("oil gilding", which does not) and
1920-422: The vellum pages of illuminated manuscripts , and gilt-edged stock. Chemical gilding embraces those processes in which the gold is at some stage of chemical combination. These include cold gilding, wet gilding, fire gilding and depletion gilding. In cold gilding, the gold is obtained in a state of extremely fine division (i.e. atomized or finely powdered), and applied by mechanical means. Cold gilding on silver
1968-425: The walls, vaults and inside the houses of anyone who could afford it, including the poor. Owing to the comparative thickness of the gold leaf used in ancient gilding, the traces of it that remain are remarkably brilliant and solid. Fire-gilding of metal goes back at least to the 4th century BC. Mercury -gilding was invented by Chinese Daoists in the 4th century CE and was used for the gilding of bronze plaques. It
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2016-514: The war. The statue became a symbol to both British and German troops; soldiers remarked the Virgin Mary was keeping the baby Christ from falling. On 27 March 1918, The Golden Virgin was at the center of fighting. During the night an intense moonlit battlefield allowed the Germans to target British troops and target the sculpture. German troops occupied the city of Albert in 1918 and the British shelled
2064-416: The work of American writer Arthur Upson . American poet Amelia Josephine Burr made her "first considerable poetic appearance" in the pages of The Bellman . In 1919 Minnesota based Western Magazine reported on the suspension of The Bellman. They stated that The Bellman had been, "the best product, along literary lines". In 1920 a book was published called The Bellman Book of Verse , the book included
2112-498: Was a prominent landmark in the sixth stage of the Circuit de l'Est . Two pilots, Alfred Leblanc and Émile Aubrun , used the sculpture as a compass and it was referred to in a news article as the "famous golden virgin". In August 1910, one of the pilots, Aubrun, flew circles around the sculpture with his Blériot XI aircraft in order to get a closer look. When asked about his laps around the statue he said, Not having occasion to see such
2160-519: Was known to Pliny (33,20,64–5), Vitruvius (8,8,4) and in the Early Medieval period to Theophilus (De Diversis Artibus Book III). In Europe, silver-gilt has always been more common than gilt-bronze, but in China the opposite has been the case. The ancient Chinese also developed the gilding of porcelain , which was later taken up by the French and other European potters. Mechanical gilding includes all
2208-513: Was placed atop the Basilique Notre-Dame de Brebières . The sculpture depicts a golden-colored Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ high above her head. The sculpture was covered with 40,000 sheets of gold leaf . It also was 5 m (16 ft) tall and there were 238 steps leading to the sculpture. More and more pilgrims continued to visit the site and Pope Leo XIII was made aware, and visited
2256-480: Was the tradition of the French peasants that when the Virgin fell the war would come to an end. It is said that an Australian gunner finally brought it down. At any rate, when the Germans were beaten back at the beginning of the last Allied offensive and Albert was retaken, the tower and statue had fallen in ruins. The peasants believe that the luck of the Germans had deserted them when the Virgin of Albert fell. From that day
2304-410: Was tilted at an extreme angle. Many soldiers were superstitious and they studied the sculpture daily; they wrote about it in their diaries and remarked that it was knocked over and threatening to fall at any time. Messages about the statue were passed between troops; it was often said to be a portent; "When the Virgin falls, the war will end". Soldiers also said whoever knocked down the statue would lose
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