Tin leaf

Description

A thin metallic foil of Tin. Tin leaf was sometimes coated with a yellow glaze and used on paintings, frames and polychrome in place of gold leaf in medieval times. In more recent times, thin sheets of tin-lead alloys have been used as protective coverings and moisture barriers.

Synonyms and Related Terms

tinfoil; tin foil; feuille d'étain (Fr.); Blattzinn (Deut.); hoja de estaño (Esp.); bladtin (Ned.); folha de estanho (Port.)

Physical and Chemical Properties

Does not darken or tarnish

Resources and Citations

• R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 337

• Hermann Kuhn, Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities, Butterworths, London, 1986