Dictionarium polygraphicum. Body, as to bear a body.

Dictionarium Polygraphicum:
Or, The Whole Body of Arts Regularly Digested.
Vol I.
London: Printed for C. Hitch and C. Davis in Pater-noster Row, and S. Austen in St. Paul's Church Yard. MDCCXXXV.
1735
BODY as to BEAR a BODY, a term us'd of painting colours, and signifies that the colours are of such a nature, as to be capable of being ground so fine, and mixing with the oil so intirely, as to seem only a very thick oil of the same colour.

Of this nature are white lead and ceruss, lamp-black, ivory black, vermilion, lake, pink, yellow oker, verdigrease, indigo, umber and Spanish brown.

Blue bice and red lead are not so fine, as they may be said to bear a very good Body; but those before mentioned may be ground so fine, as to be like even oil itself; and then they also may be said to work well, spreading so smooth, and covering the body of what you lay it upon so intirely, as that no part will remain visible, where the pencil hath gone, if the colour be work'd stiff enough.

Whereas on the contrary verditers, and smalts, with all the grinding possible to be given them, will never be well imbodied with the oil, nor work well.

Indeed bice and red-lead will hardly grind to an oily fineness, nor lie intirely smooth in the working; yet may be said to bear an indifferent Body, because they will cover such work very well that they are laid upon.

But such colours as are said not to bear a Body, will readily part with the oil, when laid on the work: so that when the colour shall be laid on a piece of work, there will be a separation, the colour in some parts, and the clear oil in others; ex cept they are tempered extraordinary thick.