Laying & Both paper and parchment when much wet with
Burnishing size are apt to cockle. Generally it is not possible,
Gold or desirable (see p. 140), to guard against this by
first stretching the material, but the size may be
used with less water, so that it will dry sooner. In
cases where there is a gold background it may often
be divided into small parts (to be sized at different
times) by the pattern (see p. 157). For large un¬
broken patches of gold several thin coats may be
put on, one after the other, with a brush.

Some sizes have a tendency to crack: this is diffi¬
cult to guard against. But, if the cracks are very
minute—such as may be seen in many instances in
the best early MSS.—they do not constitute a serious
blemish.

Burnished gold is often damaged by careless hand¬
ling or insufficient protection.

GOLD WRITING

The page (having been ruled as for ordinary
writing) is thoroughly pounced all over.

The pen has an extra long slit, and the size is
made a little more fluid than usual to allow of its
flowing freely and making true pen-strokes (p. 29).

The desk is lowered (fig. 46, b), or flat, so that
the size may flow freely.

The nib sometimes makes only a wet down-
stroke on the parchment, but, by lightly pushing
the pen up again, the stroke will be filled by the
size which flows out from under the nib. Simple
pen-strokes in small writing hold but little, and so
ought to be filled as full of size as possible (pp. 116,
150). They will be found to dry much more quickly
than larger forms, and may be gilded within a few

130

hours of writing. Half-a-dozen or more letters are Laying &
gilded together (see p. 122). Burnishing

Gold

OTHER METHODS & RECIPES FOR GILDING

Gold-leaf may be cut with a “gilder’s knife ” on
a gilder's cushion" and picked up with a “gilder's
tip."

Water, white of egg, or alcohol may be used to
make the gold-leaf adhere to the size.

“ Transfer gold-leaf ” is convenient, but the greasi¬
ness of the transfer paper is apt to dim the gilding.

Gold-leaf is made in many shades, from “red”
(gold + copper) to “green” (gold + silver) ; though
these may be used very effectively, they are liable
to tarnish, and it is best to begin with pure gold
(see pp. 118, 135).

Silver-leaf oxidises and turns black; platinum (a
good substitute) costs about 5s., and aluminium (not
so good) about 6d. per book.

‘‘''Gold Ink” has been made with powdered gold:
its effect is inferior to raised and burnished writing.

The following is from “The Book of the Art
of Cennino Cennini” (written about the beginning
of the fifteenth century): Translated by Christiana
J. Herringham, 1899:—

“Chap. 157.—How you must do miniature-painting
and put gold on parchment.

“First, if you would paint miniatures you must draw
with a leaden style figures, foliage, letters, or whatever
you please, on parchment, that is to say, in books: then
with a pen you must make the delicate permanent outline
of what you have designed. Then you must have a

*3*