Wednesday, February 5, 2014

collecting.....Antique Gilt Wood, Water Gilt, Gold Leaf

 The first time I saw the difference between water gilding & gold or gilt leaf, I was in Parma, Italy at a large antique market. It was in the mid 1990s, a wonderful and very knowledgable antique merchant showed me the difference between the two different creations. While both are beautiful, a true antique water gilded object has a glow & a depth of gold that delights your eye. I know I fell in love with the art of water gilding that day, in Italy in the stall of an Italian merchant. I can still see his hands as he turned the carved water gilded frame to show me the differences & the beauty of the art. I would find many fabulous objects from this merchant, Mr. Antonio, he delighted me on each visit with his tales of growing up the son of an Italian art dealer, I always felt I had learned more from him than any art history course.

The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt", when applied over wood, it's called Gilt Wood.

If gilding is on wood, 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  glue and water. Water gilding, which allows the surface to be subsequently burnished to a mirror-like finish, the gold leaf was layered on the gesso and left to dry. Water gilding in the Old World was quite an art and has a glow not achieved from simply applying gold leaf. Sharing with you a few examples of gilt wood...


Collection of mounted Antique Gilt Wood Crosses...

Fabulous setting from bellafayegarden

Antique Gilt Wood Altar Pricketts...

Beautiful Gilt Architectural Putto in Paris...
Gilt wood Sunburst Mirrors from alexmacarthurco.uk


Pair French Bergeres from Bella Cottage...
Beautiful French Gilt Wood Bench from Bella Cottage

Antique French Gilt Wood Mirrors from Antique Diva...
18th c Carved Gilt Wood Angel or Putto from 1st Dibs...
Cheers...until next time!

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