부산대학교 도서관

Term applied to gold writing in manuscripts. Two techniques have been used for writing in gold. In the older, used during Classical antiquity, powdered gold was mixed with glair or gum to produce ink, which was then burnished when dry. This is the method described by Theophilus, who stated that silver could also be used, or gold imitated with ground tin, dyed with saffron after burnishing. The second technique, mordant gilding, was developed in the 12th century. This involves writing in gum or glair and sticking gold leaf on to the letters before the mordant is dry. This was a much cheaper process since only a fraction of the amount of gold was used, but it is technically much more difficult. The mordant dries quickly, especially at the edges of the stroke, and when it is dry the gold will not stick. Usually red or yellow pigment was mixed with the mordant, which both camouflaged any bare patches and made the stroke easier to see when gilding. Other additions to the mordant were chalk, to give bulk and raise the letters, and sugar or honey, which slowed the drying process by making the mordant hygroscopic....