DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20658#0305
ELYDORIC PAINTING.
291
like the glassy colours of enamel to run out of the painting, when exposed to the fire. Art
account of this method appears in a letter from Mr. Josiah Colebrooke to the Earl of Macclesfield,
President of the Royal Society of London, in 1759.
Still however there seemed to be some defects or inconveniencies in the method ; for in 1787
a gold pallet was bestowed on Miss Greenland, by the Society for the encouragement of arts,
manufactures and commerce, for communicating the discoveries she had made on the subject,
in consequence of information procured in Italy. This lady's method was as follows :—u Take
;an ounce of white wax and the same weight of gum mastick powdered ; put the wax in a glazed
'earthen vessel over a very slow fire, and when it is quite dissolved strew in the mastick, a little
at a time, stirring the wax continually until the whole quantity of gum is perfectly melted and
incorporated ; then throw the paste into cold water, and when it is hard take it out, wipe it dry,
and beat it in one of Wedgewood's mortars, observing to pound it at first in a linen cloth, to
absorb some drops of water that will remain in the paste, and would prevent the possibility of
reducing it to a powder, which must be so fine as to pass through a thick gauze. It should be
pounded in a cold place, and but a little while at a time : as after long beating the friction will
in a degree soften the wax and gum, and instead of their becoming a powder, they will return to
a paste.
" Next make some strong gum arabic water, and when you paint take a little of the powder,
with some colour, and mix them together with the gum water. Light colours require but a
small quantity of the powder; but more of it must be put in proportion to the body and darkness
of the colours; and to black there should be almost as much of the powder as of the colour.
" Having mixed the colours, and no more than can be used before they go dry, paint with
fair water, as is practised in painting with water colours; a ground on the wood being first
painted of some proper colour, prepared in the same manner as is described for the picture.
In Italy walnut-tree and oak are the sorts of wood commonly used for this purpose. The painting
should be very highly finished; otherwise when varnished the tints will not appear united.
** When the painting is quite dry, with rather a hard brush passing it one way, varnish it
with white wax, which is put into an earthen vessel and kept melted over a very slow fire, till
the picture is varnished, taking great care the wax does not boil. Afterwards hold the picture
before a fire, near enough to melt the wax but not to make it run ; and when the varnish is
entirely eold and hard rub it gently with a linen cloth. Should the varnish blister warm the
picture again very slowly and the bubbles will subside. When the picture is dirty it need only
be washed with cold water."
SECTION XL
OF ELYDOiUC PAINTING.
Elydoric or Eludoric painting is a method of executing miniatures in oil-colours by means
of water, as the name expresses. The first thing to be done is with some good starch paste
as even as possible, some fine linen or taffety on small pieces of glass, about two inches square;
their angles should be rounded so as that the cloth may turn over, and not oblige you to cut
away the overplus.
When
291
like the glassy colours of enamel to run out of the painting, when exposed to the fire. Art
account of this method appears in a letter from Mr. Josiah Colebrooke to the Earl of Macclesfield,
President of the Royal Society of London, in 1759.
Still however there seemed to be some defects or inconveniencies in the method ; for in 1787
a gold pallet was bestowed on Miss Greenland, by the Society for the encouragement of arts,
manufactures and commerce, for communicating the discoveries she had made on the subject,
in consequence of information procured in Italy. This lady's method was as follows :—u Take
;an ounce of white wax and the same weight of gum mastick powdered ; put the wax in a glazed
'earthen vessel over a very slow fire, and when it is quite dissolved strew in the mastick, a little
at a time, stirring the wax continually until the whole quantity of gum is perfectly melted and
incorporated ; then throw the paste into cold water, and when it is hard take it out, wipe it dry,
and beat it in one of Wedgewood's mortars, observing to pound it at first in a linen cloth, to
absorb some drops of water that will remain in the paste, and would prevent the possibility of
reducing it to a powder, which must be so fine as to pass through a thick gauze. It should be
pounded in a cold place, and but a little while at a time : as after long beating the friction will
in a degree soften the wax and gum, and instead of their becoming a powder, they will return to
a paste.
" Next make some strong gum arabic water, and when you paint take a little of the powder,
with some colour, and mix them together with the gum water. Light colours require but a
small quantity of the powder; but more of it must be put in proportion to the body and darkness
of the colours; and to black there should be almost as much of the powder as of the colour.
" Having mixed the colours, and no more than can be used before they go dry, paint with
fair water, as is practised in painting with water colours; a ground on the wood being first
painted of some proper colour, prepared in the same manner as is described for the picture.
In Italy walnut-tree and oak are the sorts of wood commonly used for this purpose. The painting
should be very highly finished; otherwise when varnished the tints will not appear united.
** When the painting is quite dry, with rather a hard brush passing it one way, varnish it
with white wax, which is put into an earthen vessel and kept melted over a very slow fire, till
the picture is varnished, taking great care the wax does not boil. Afterwards hold the picture
before a fire, near enough to melt the wax but not to make it run ; and when the varnish is
entirely eold and hard rub it gently with a linen cloth. Should the varnish blister warm the
picture again very slowly and the bubbles will subside. When the picture is dirty it need only
be washed with cold water."
SECTION XL
OF ELYDOiUC PAINTING.
Elydoric or Eludoric painting is a method of executing miniatures in oil-colours by means
of water, as the name expresses. The first thing to be done is with some good starch paste
as even as possible, some fine linen or taffety on small pieces of glass, about two inches square;
their angles should be rounded so as that the cloth may turn over, and not oblige you to cut
away the overplus.
When