DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18732#0155
[ 13° ]
OF PAINTING IN WAX.
Extracl from Maiys Review, for April 1785,
" M. Febbroni, who was in England fome winters
ago, has difcovered a new method of encauftic paint-
ing, of which he writes me the following account:
" M. Lewis of Guttenbrunn, the friend of Mengs,
and who may be called his fucceffor, has lately executed
a picture according to my manner. It is a Thalia done
upon wood, prepared with wax ; and is remarkable
for the vivacity and fplendour of the colouring. I be-
lieve I have already mentioned to you, in what this new
method confifts. You melt, or rather diffolve fome good
white wax in naphtha petrolei without colour, till fuch
time as the mixture has acquired, by cooling, the ap-
pearance and confidence of an oil beginning to freeze
by the cold. You mix your colours with this, and then
keep them in frnall tin boxes. You dilute them more
or lefs with the fame naphtha, according as they dry,
or as you wifh to ufe them. This painting allows time
enough to give all the finifh you defire, and if you wifh
to work in a hurry, you may dry it as faft as you pleafe,
by expofing it to heat. When the picture is finifhed,
it is of that fine tone, which is preferable to every var-
nifh, or it you choofe a varnifh, you need only warm
the picture, and all the naphtha will evaporate. When
this is done, you muft wait till the picture cools, when
you muft polifh it, by running it over neatly with a
doth, as the ancients ufed to do, If you wifh to have
4 it
OF PAINTING IN WAX.
Extracl from Maiys Review, for April 1785,
" M. Febbroni, who was in England fome winters
ago, has difcovered a new method of encauftic paint-
ing, of which he writes me the following account:
" M. Lewis of Guttenbrunn, the friend of Mengs,
and who may be called his fucceffor, has lately executed
a picture according to my manner. It is a Thalia done
upon wood, prepared with wax ; and is remarkable
for the vivacity and fplendour of the colouring. I be-
lieve I have already mentioned to you, in what this new
method confifts. You melt, or rather diffolve fome good
white wax in naphtha petrolei without colour, till fuch
time as the mixture has acquired, by cooling, the ap-
pearance and confidence of an oil beginning to freeze
by the cold. You mix your colours with this, and then
keep them in frnall tin boxes. You dilute them more
or lefs with the fame naphtha, according as they dry,
or as you wifh to ufe them. This painting allows time
enough to give all the finifh you defire, and if you wifh
to work in a hurry, you may dry it as faft as you pleafe,
by expofing it to heat. When the picture is finifhed,
it is of that fine tone, which is preferable to every var-
nifh, or it you choofe a varnifh, you need only warm
the picture, and all the naphtha will evaporate. When
this is done, you muft wait till the picture cools, when
you muft polifh it, by running it over neatly with a
doth, as the ancients ufed to do, If you wifh to have
4 it