Four Paintings

Triptych

Triptychs and tabernacles

Historically, tabernacles have been in existence in Egypt since at least the third millenium BC...

The production of a tabernacle

The production of a tabernacle involved a number of different craftsmen - carpenters, painters, gilders...

Carpentry

The tabernacle would have been made from seasoned poplar wood, the only timber readily available in Italy...

Hinges

The hinge system enabled the wings to be attached after they had been painted and gilded...

Preparing the panel

Cennino Cennini advised that eight layers of gesso should be applied, at least to the flat surfaces...

Underdrawing

The composition of the painting required careful planning since the gilding took place before the painting...

Gilding

Both water-gilding for background surfaces and mordant gilding for decoration of textiles were used...

Decoration of gold surfaces

The textured surface produced by 'punching' creates a different effect from that of freehand 'incised' patterns...

Colours

There is a tradition in the colours worn by certain biblical characters within religious paintings...

Pigments

Ultramarine, azurite, lead-tin yellow, lead white, vermilion, red lake, green earth (terra verde), have been used in the triptych..

Painting

Since egg tempera dries out quickly and is extremely viscous, the paint could not be applied thickly...