22.6.20

Q. 4422. Encaustic Painting.

Manufacturer and builder ?, 1891

— Is it known how the Romans, and other ancient artists, made the paintings on stone, which arc called, I believe, encaustic paintings?
- M. O., Philadelphia.

Answer. The general principles of this ancient and obsolete art are tolerably well known. The artist used for his picture a slab of stone very fine grained, smooth and absorbent stone, like slate. His colors were mineral pigments, and these were mingled with certain resinous materials into which they were incorporated while the resin was melted by heating. The stone slab was also heated, so as to open its pores and enable it to absorb the pigments, which were applied to its surface, with the aid of an instrument resembling, probably, a spatula. The picture having been made on the slab by transferring the pigments as above described, the stone was then baked so that the colors wero caused to sink into the surface of the stone, thus making it imperishable. But few specimens of these works of art have come down to us.

Ei kommentteja :