INTRODUCTION TO THE GILDING TECHNIQUE

Born in 1976 on an initiative of the Council of Europe, The European Centre for Heritage Crafts and Professions aims at the preservation, promotion and enhancement of cultural heritage through professional training. Since the very beginning,  its goal was to promote the culture of conservation and restoration, the knowledge of ancient crafts and the preservation of cultural heritage according to the principles of modern International Conservation Charters through training courses with multidisciplinary programs both theoretical and practical. During the courses, the participants can make use of the services with no time restrictions; this also allows them to develop relationships with teachers from all over Europe, both on a professional and on a personal basis. The Centre provides accommodation services, craft and restoration workshops, classrooms, a library, common rooms and exhibition areas. The European Centre for Heritage Crafts and Professions is an extremely stimulating place not only for discussion on ideas and objects, but also on methodologies and knowledge.

The workshop aims to offer an overall introduction to the ancient and precious gilding techniques, through the testimonies of the artifacts and art works over the centuries. The course will focus on the origins of gilding, the types of artifacts in history, the theoretical and practical bases of gouache gilding, mission and decorative techniques of the gilded surface. The physical characteristics of the treated materials, the degradation processes and the restoration techniques will also be dealt with. The course will provide the theoretical and practical bases of the various gilding techniques and the possible solutions for their restoration. Recognition of the different gilding techniques will also be treated. The course is divided into a theoretical and a practical part. THEORETICAL PART:

• Historical origins and types of gilded works
• Study of the techniques of gilding and silvering in gouache, mission, mecca, gold and silver in shell
• In-depth study of the decorative techniques for the golden surface: engraving, punching, graffito, pastille and application of protectives
• Coating and aging effects
• Analysis of the equipment and materials used
• Study of real artefacts and images of works of art to develop the capability to recognise the techniques and materials used and to identify degradation.

PRACTICAL PART: HOW TO DO

• Preparation of the different types of animal glues, plaster, of the types of bolus and different aesthetic characteristics
• How to perform gouache gilding (burnishing, glazing, satin finishing) and mixtion, from the preparation of the wooden support: sealing, application of plaster and glue (ammanitura or priming) execution of the preparatory drawing, application of the temperina, of the bolus and of the mixtion and application of the metallic leaf
• How to decorate the gilded surface: Carving, Punching, Engraving, Graffito and Pastiglia
• Finishing the metallic leaf with shellac, bleached de-waxed shellac, aqueous solutions of glue and pigments, wax, natural Judea bitumen.

Practical exercises will be carried out on previously prepared wooden tablets, where the different steps will be performed during the course.

Declaration of attendance indicating the program

The course starts on Thursday, June 25 at 9 am and ends at 6 pm on Saturday, June 27, 2020, for  total 24 training hours.

8 hours/day, training time from 9 to 13 in the morning and from 2 to 6 in the afternoon.

The training course aims at restorers, artisans, freelancers and students. The teacher will make the appropriate distinctions based on the individual knowledge and skills of the individual participants.

None

Via Trieste 43

Thiene - Vicenza

36016

Italy

d.ssa Stefania Barsoni Associazione Villa Fabris EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR HERITAGE CRAFTS AND PROFESSIONS I-36016 Thiene (VI) Via Trieste, 43 Tel. +39 0445 372329 E-mail: barsoni@villafabris.eu