Mosaic gold
Description
1) A yellow, metallic pigment composed of Stannic sulfide. Mosaic gold was used as an inexpensive Gold-like pigment in manuscripts and gilding as early as the 13th century. It was replaced by Bronze powders in the middle of the 19th century. Mosaic gold has been found by the National Gallery on a 15th c. Florentine painting .ne painting using mosaic gold, or tin sulphide, which has hitherto only been found in north Italian pictures)
2) The name mosaic gold has also been used incorrectly to refer to Ormolu.
3) The name mosaic gold has also been used for a brass alloy composed of Copper (63.5%) and Zinc (34.7%).
Andrea del Verrocchio, about 1435–1488, and assistant (Lorenzo di Credi, about 1458–1537)
‘The Virgin and Child with Two Angels’, about 1476–8
Tempera on woo
Synonyms and Related Terms
artificial gold; ouro musivo (Port.); tin bronze; stannic sulfide; tin disulfide; aurum mosaicum; cat's gold; mock gold; porporini; purpurino; purpurinus
Other Properties
1. Lightfast. Soluble in alkalis. Insoluble in acids.
| Composition | SnS2 |
|---|
Additional Information
J.Ross "A Note on the Use of Mosaic Gold" Studies in Conservation, 18:174-176, 1973.
Sources Checked for Data in Record
- R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966 Comment: p. 132
- G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 610
- Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)
- Susan E. Schur, Conservation Terminology: A review of Past & Current Nomenclature of Materials, Technology and Conservation, Spring (p.34-39); Summer (p.35-38); Fall (p.25-36), 1985
- Dictionary of Building Preservation, Ward Bucher, ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York City, 1996