The Alchemy of Paint - Art, Science and Secrets from the Middle Ages - Spike Bucklow
Gold: The Riches of the Unknown
The Alchemy of Paint - Art, Science and Secrets from the Middle Ages - Spike Bucklow
Spike Bucklow [+]
Hamilton Kerr Institute, Cambridge
Spike Bucklow trained as a chemist. He synthesized sex pheromones for cockroaches, then developed materials for use in special effects. His latex creations feature in films including Indiana Jones, Greystoke, Little Shop of Horrors, Princess Bride and the 1980s satirical show Spitting Image. He then studied Artificial Intelligence and briefly worked in technical management consultancy where he discovered art conservation. He gained a PhD in art history, and is now a Senior Research Scientist and Teacher of Theory based at the Hamilton Kerr Institute in Cambridge. He has written about pigment use in art for a number of journals and draws on a wide range of experience to develop his ideas.
Description
Gold owes its current status entirely to the traditional world. And appreciating gold’s value requires all the science and mythology we have covered so far, together with a review of its trade, which was very different from trade in equally prized things like Tyrian purple or Polish cochineal. In addition to the numerous natural sources of gold, gold was also recycled and synthesised. Because of its diverse origins, artists and craftsmen needed to check the quality of gold and to purify it if necessary. This chapter explains the origins of gold and looks at how it was tested and prepared.