Gilding (Mayerne) Safety Protocol and work flow

Recipe

Mayerne, Théodore Turquet de, Sir, 1573-1655.

Lost secrets of Flemish painting : including the first complete English translation of the De Mayerne Manuscript, B.M. Sloane 2052, Hillsville, VA : Alchemist, c 2001, p. 236

Ms. p. 109 recto

Gilding (235)

Concerning the trim of a picture frame^[a] that is done with an oil paint, gold paint or the base coa^[b]t of the said trim is applied with some kind of oily paint like the residues from brush cleaning; because this washed out material is usually oily and to some extent has to be a red or a yellow or a dark color. When the said undercoating is dry the said gold leaf is applied^[c] and then lightly rubbed with a goose feather or other feather to remove the excess and loose material.

Materials

Tools

Workstation

• Newspaper on flat surface
• Oak board on Newspaper
• Turpentine in glass container, Varnish brush

• Can perform on lab bench but if turpentine odor too strong move to fume hood
• Perhaps we want to do in fume hood to ensure that there are not sudden changes in airflow which could agitate the delicate gold leaf^[e]

• Gold leaf, tweezers

Procedure/ Workflow

Make a gilding screen

Put up the humidifier on

1. Lay down newspaper on a flat surface
2. Place wooden surface on newspaper
3. Place oily paint on surface and newspaper
4. Take paintbrush, dip it in the oily paint
5. Apply an even layer on one side

1. Is it possible to apply more than one layer in a day? (maybe it need multiple layers so that it is strong enough to strongly adhere the gold leaf, especially considering that we will rub away at it later)
2. Store oily layer is dry place,
3. Clean brush with paper towel then in mineral spirits
4. Dispose of paper towel in solid non hazardous waste CHECK^[f]
5. Dispose of mineral spirits in liquid non hazardous waste CHECK^[g]

6. Wait overnight and allow to dry
7. Check that the base coat is dried
8. Remove gold leaf from packaging
9. Use tweezers to remove protective sheet from gold leaf
10. Rub gilders tip on hair or wrist to create static
11. Lightly tap the gold leaf sheet at the top with the gilder’s tip so that it adheres to the tip
12. Carefully lay the gold leaf flat on the oily surface
13. Allow the gold leaf to settle on the surface

1. I’m suggesting about 15 minutes

14. Rub the surface of the gold with a goose feather, removing the excess gold leaf and polishing gold surface
15. Collect the gold leaf excesses in glass vial
16. Place wooden surface aside to dry. Check back in two days to see if it adheres properly

Material : Turpentine

Hazard Statement

• Flammable liquid and vapour.
• Harmful if swallowed.
• Harmful in contact with skin.
• Harmful if inhaled.
• Causes skin irritation.
• Causes serious eye irritation.
• May cause an allergic skin reaction.
• May cause drowsiness or dizziness.
• May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways.
• Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.

Safety Precautions

• Keep away from heat/sparks/open flames/hot surfaces. - No smoking.
• Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
• Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection.
• Ground/bond container and receiving equipment.
• Use explosion-proof electrical/ventilating/lighting/intrinsically safe equipment.
• Use only non-sparking tools.
• Take precautionary measures against static discharge.
• Avoid breathing dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.
• Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product.
• Avoid release to the environment.
• Contaminated work clothing should not be allowed out of the workplace.

Waste Management Plan

• Dispose of excess turpentine in CHECK^[h]
• Rinse turpentine container with mineral spirits and pour in CHECK^[i]
• Clean with soap and water