144 by James Morton on 08/18/01 at 4:41 PM
Re: about the varnish used for old masters

In Reply to: about the varnish used for old masters posted by Alex Evan Dovas on 01/24/01 at 6:17 PM:

Very scant evidence has been found both from documenary sources and recent scientific examination for the use of resinous mediums in Old Master paintings outside the use of copper resinate greens. Rembrandt did not use resins, only heat bodied oils and possibly emulsions. The Gentileschi used fossil resin mediums (see discussion at jamescgroves .com). Reni and Guercino are purported to have used resinous mediums. Balsams have been detected in at least one Dutch still life paintings. Michael Wright is purported to have used a resinous medium. Armemini and DePiles recommend the addition of mastic resin to oil paint. Rubens communicated something about a balsam for painting to DeMayerne. Cannini used a mastic retouch varnish according to Symonds. DeMayerne said that Van Dyck used a balsam retouch varnish. And there are numerous recipes for oil and spirit varnishes in the historical literature although it is not always certain what these were to be used for. Suffice to say, resins were used much less as painting mediums in the 16th and 17th centuries than has been commonly believed -- certainly less than in later centuries by painters looking for the secrets of the masters. It is rather to the preparation of the oil through heat treating that we should turn our attention in the quest for Old Master paint quality.