Marble dust

Description

Marble chips that have been crushed to form a powder. Marble dust is used as an inert pigment and filler in paints. Even as a fine powder, some of the crystalline surfaces reflect light adding a sparkle to regions in which was been added to the plaster used in a fresco support. Marble dust was also added to the grounds of some Italian paintings to produce a fresco-like appearance. Additionally it is used as a bulking agent in repairs on porcelain and ceramics.

Synonyms and Related Terms

marble meal; marble grit; poudre de marbre (Fr.); pó de mármore (Port.); Marmorpulver (Deut.); Marmormehl (Deut.)

Authority

• M. Doerner, The Materials of the Artist, Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1934

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 499

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• Ceramics and Glass Conservation Section, List of Workshop Materials, The British Museum, London