[688] Herodot. lib. ii. 63. See Winkelmann Hist. de l’Art.--Caylus,
Recueil d’Antiquités, i. p. 193. Gori seems to have had in his
possession two Egyptian gilt figures. See Mus. Etr. t. i. p. 51.
[689] In the books of the Old Testament gilding and gold plates are
clearly mentioned. Moses caused several parts of the sanctuary to be
overlaid with gold. 1st. The ark of shittim wood was covered with gold
both on the outside and inside, Exodus, chap. xxv. ver. 11; also the
staves, ver. 13. 2nd. The wooden table with its staves, ver. 23 and 28.
3rd. The altar of burnt incense, chap. xxx. ver. 3. 4th. The boards
which formed the sides of the tabernacle, chap. xxvi. ver. 29.
Solomon caused various parts of the temple to be overlaid with gold.
1st. The whole inside of the house, 1 Kings, chap. vi. ver. 21 and
22. 2nd. The altar of burnt incense, ver. 20 and 22. 3rd. The wooden
cherubim above seventeen feet in height, ver. 28. 4th. The floor, ver.
30. 5th. The doors of the oracle, on which were carved cherubims,
palm-trees and open flowers, ver. 32 and 35, so that the gold
accurately exhibited the figures of the carved work.
Now the question is, whether all these were gilt, or covered, or
overlaid with gold plates. But when the passages are compared with each
other, I am inclined to think that gilding is denoted.
“The Hebrews probably brought the art of gilding with them from Egypt,
where it seems to have been very old, as gilding is found not only on
mummies, the antiquity of which indeed is uncertain; but, if I am not
mistaken, in the oldest temples, on images. It appears also, that in
the time of Moses the Hebrews understood the art both of gilding and of
overlaying with plates of gold, and expressed both by the general term
צפה.”
[690] Page 534.
[691] Lib. xxxiii. 3. The thicker gold-leaf was called, at that time,
bractea Prænestina; the thinner, bractea quæstoria.
[692] Osservazioni Istoriche sopra alcum Medaglioni Antichi. In Roma,
1698, fol. p. 370.
[693] Lucret. iv. 730.--Martial. viii. 33.
[694] Lessing zur Geschichte und Litteratur, iv. p. 309.
[695] L’oggidi overo gl’ingegni non inferiori à passati. Venet. 1636.
8vo.
[696] Zusammenhang der Künste. Zurich, 1764, 8vo, i. p. 75. For further
information see Traité des Monnoies, par Abot de Bazinghen. Paris,
1764, 4to, i. p. 102.
[697] Rutty’s Natural History of Dublin, 1772, 2 vols. 8vo, i. p. 264.
[698] Von Uffenbach Reisen, iii. p. 218.
[699] I was told that Professor Pickel of Würzburg prepares
gold-beaters’ skin by means of a varnish, which renders it fitter for
use; and that a student of that place had found out the art of making
it transparent, in order that the wound might be seen.
[700] Lib. xxxiii. § 20, p. 616.
[701] Plin. lib. xxxv. § 17, p. 685.
[702] Lib. xxxiii. § 32, p. 622. “Cum æra inaurantur, sublitum bracteis
pertinacissime retinet. Verum pallore detegit simplices aut prætenues
bracteas. Quapropter id furtum quærentes ovi liquore candido usum
eum adulteravere.” See also sect. 42, p. 626. I acknowledge that
this passage I do not fully comprehend. It seems to say that the
quicksilver, when the gold was laid on too thin, appeared through it,
but that this might be prevented by mixing with the quicksilver the
white of an egg. The quicksilver then remained under the gold; but
this is impossible. When the smallest drop of quicksilver falls upon
gilding, it corrodes the noble metal, and produces an empty spot. It
is therefore incomprehensible to me how this could be prevented by
the white of an egg. Did Pliny himself completely understand gilding?
Perhaps Pliny only meant to say, that many artists gave out the
cold-gilding, where the gold-leaf was laid on with the white of an egg,
as gilding by means of heat. I shall here remark, that the reader may
spare himself the trouble of turning over Durand’s Histoire Naturelle
de l’Or et d’Argent, Londres 1729, fol. This Frenchman did not
understand what he translated.
[703] Principes de l’Architecture. Paris, 1676, 4to, p. 280.
[704] Lessing zur Geschichte und Litteratur, vi. p. 311.
[705] Piazza Universale. Venet. 1610, 4to, p. 281.
[706] De Rerum Var. xiii. cap. 56.
[707] De Atramentis.
[708] Mémoires concernant les Chinois, xi. p. 351.
[709] De Rerum Inventoribus, Hamb. 1613, 8vo, pp. 41, 37.
[710] Luciani Opera, ed. Bipont. v. p. 100.
[711] Plutarchi Sympos. iv. _in fine_.