Encaustic Wall Painting. How to Execute an Encaustic Painting on a Terracotta Support Following Recipes in Classical Sources

Author: Sergio Paolo Diodato
Translator: Julia Alexandra Mee

Series: Ancient and Mediaeval Art Techniques – Handbooks
Series directed by Sergio Paolo Diodato
Pages 96, illustrated with over 80 color plates, year 2014
Isbn: 9788840403113
E-BOOK IN PDF FORMAT

Encaustic, a noteworthy ancient pictorial technique – of which little is known, especially regarding the practical procedure – presents very interesting aspects not only for the restorer who happens to work with it, but also for the painter who wishes to use it for his own expressive needs. In fact, the restorer who intervenes on works executed in this technique needs to know the typical characteristics, materials, tools and working processes. Even the painter who wishes to use encaustic for its undoubted aesthetic appeal and to hand down his work in a secure way for posterity has to be able to carry it out with his own hands, possibly by means which are readily available.
The manual which I am presenting here is the fruition of years of study, personal work and didactic experience gained from delivering the course of Restoration at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence. It focuses on the reconstruction of the pictorial technique of encaustic wall painting in an ancient manner and finally responds to the practical needs for consultation of those in didactic, artistic, operative or research backgrounds, who for various reasons, want to know about the specific subject and the method of execution.

Sergio Paolo Diodato is the head of Restoration of Paintings at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence. Acting as technical consultant and the person in charge of the restoration, he participated in the production of the documentary film “Gli Elgin Marbles e l’Accademia di Firenze. Cronaca di un restauro”, by the director Massimo Becattini (2009). He has written: “L’ancona dei Cappuccini di Guardiagrele e il suo restauro, raccolta di notizie storiche, tecniche e metodologiche” (1998); “I Buoni Colori di una volta, ricettario fotografico per conoscere e fabbricare pigmenti, leganti, vernici e materiali artistici antichi direttamente dai trattati medievali” (2010).

Contents:
Preface
General aspects
Analysis of historical sources
Definition of classic encaustic wall painting
Procedure executed in the ancient manner
Encaustic wall paintings in the MANN
Materials necessary to execute an encaustic wall painting
Materials necessary to prepare Punic wax
The problem with the darkening of Pompeian red
Conclusion
Bibliography