Little Gilding Job on a Huge Frame

I have been fortunate to get another great gilding job for Antique Refinishers, inc. in San Diego.

The client who sponsored me years ago to learn gilding had a huge painting, one of those with the gold background with a huge dark walnut frame.

He asked us to add some gold to it to tie it more to the painting. We proposed different versions using photoshop.

The third one was selected with water gilding on the inside carving “entrelac” with burnishing on the highlights and oil on the outside rail and bead ornement.

We were able to take of the inside elements without problem, because water gilding means you really wet the place when gilding and no finish really likes it. We had to do numerous repairs especially on those delicate rails and beads decoration. Those are so hard to turn when you are not a turner.

Applying gold leaf on the clay

Then the pieces are burnished on the highlights

Then the rail and bead were oil gilded with gold leaf also. wear and tare and dirt were added, and I kinda like the result from that

to that

-- Patrice lejeune