Fig tree juice

Description

A milky white, latex-like emulsion obtained from the fig tree branches and new shoots. Once the branch is broken, the sticky sap solidifies quickly into a hard film. Fig tree juice was once thought to be recommended as an egg tempera additive by Cennini, but later interpretations of his text have indicated that Cennini was rather suggesting the twigs were useful as whisks (Mayer 1969).

Synonyms and Related Terms

Fig milk; jugo de higuera (Esp.); leite de figueira (Port.)

Resources and Citations

• R. Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row, New York, 1969.