.png)
image via gillesperrault.com
Gilding furniture is a very old practice, but the period that saw the greatest spread of this trend was the Baroque period, which was characterised by luxurious-looking and large furniture. In France, gilded furniture was popular during the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV, whereas in Italy, furniture had been more ornate and sumptuous since the Renaissance. Carvings, ornaments, exotic woods and materials for inlays: until the second half of the 18th century, furniture was enlivened by figures and elements whose task was to testify to the wealth of the family. Thus, tables, chests and cupboards were covered in gold and colonial woods type, which enhanced the rounded figures of the furniture and reflected the prestige of the owners. Towards the end of the 18th century, the aesthetic taste turned towards Neoclassicism, with its more linear and clean-cut forms, and the gilded suggestions of Baroque furniture were soon abandoned.
The refined decorative effect of gilding applied to furniture is the result of centuries of experience and traditions that were established in the past and have come down to us almost unchanged.In ancient times, gold was pulverised and reduced to very thin sheets by a specialised craftsman (called "battiloro") and with these gold leaves, various gilding techniques could be applied, the most common being bole gilding and oil gilding.
Bole gilding is certainly the most popular, so much so that it is identified as the gilding par excellence. The procedure is amply described by Cennino Cennini (Il libro dell'arte, Chap. XXVIII, Cennino Cennini, late 14th century) and essentially consists of applying one or more coats of Armenian bole (from the Greek bolos: clod of earth) to the previously plastered and well-smoothed wooden surface. After the application of the bole, the surface is smoothed and a light layer of natural glue is spread over limited portions, applying the gold leaf and ensuring that it adheres perfectly to the surface. Smoothing the surfaces before the next step is essential to ensure the legibility of the carved elements of the wood, which risk being blunted by excessive application of plaster and bole. Smoothing the surfaces before the next step is essential to ensure the legibility of the carved elements of the wood, which risk being blunted by excessive application of gesso and bole. The last step involves polishing using tools called brunitoi or, in the past, with dog or wolf tusks.
The final effect is extreme lustre, which can tend towards warmer or cooler shades. In fact, despite the fact that gold is in itself a material that transmits heat through its natural colouring, it can be influenced by the colouring of the bole: a red bole will produce warmer tones than a black or green one (more common in ancient tradition), which will instead cool it down.
"E bagnando di mano in mano con un pennello dove è dato il bolo, vi si mette su l'oro in foglia, il quale subito si appicca a quel molle. E quando egli è soppasso, non secco, si brunisce con una zanna di cane o di lupo, sinché e diventi lustrante e bello.". (Il libro dell'arte, Chap. XXVIII, Cennino Cennini, late 14th century)
Another widely used technique (especially for small retouches) is oil gilding. This involves the use of an oily resinous mordant (the so-called missione or mistione used instead of bole) to allow the gold leaf to adhere. Compared to bole gilding, it is relatively easy and quick to carry out, but it does not allow the same level of brightness to be obtained because the gold leaf cannot be polished as in bole gilding.
Regarding maintenance, gilded furniture, like all antiques, requires constant attention as it is an antique and often delicate object. Considering that the intervention of a restorer is always advisable, home maintenance can be carried out by removing atmospheric particles with a cotton cloth and ensuring a dry environment. Humidity and water-based cleaning products are, in fact, some of the main causes of deterioration of gilding on wood, but a few small tricks will allow you to keep your furniture intact and as shiny as the first day.
