Inquiries hito the encaustic Painting of the Ancients. 25 



peating the process. Besides, this mixture of wax and oil re- 

 tains a softness and glueyness too long, which does not admit of 

 the celerity vvliich is wautetl in these kinds of works. Pliny says 

 that the wax may be melted by means of heat, and apj)lied with 

 a pencil : but as it hardens in the air with great facility, it will 

 be difficult to form in this way a very compact coating. 



We must therefore invent another method of making wax 

 manageable bv the pencil, and which '•liall procure a prompt 

 desiccation, without taking from its whiteness or consistence. 

 We may find this desideratum, I think, in the employment oi' 

 the volatile oils, or the colourless essences. It is sufficient in 

 order to melt the wax in a volatile oil to employ it in stripes, as 

 it is when bleached, and to sprinkle it after that with some drops 

 of oil. A slight heat is then sufficient to operate the solution ; 

 and we thus obtain a very transparent liquid: — the same result 

 is obtained with a fixed oil. The fixed oils well purified, or the 

 colourless volatile oils, ought to be employed in this operation. 

 This combination may be applied to canvass, wood, or niarl)le, in 

 the liquid state : it then adheres stronglv to those bodies, be- 

 cause it penetrates them, and forms on their surface a white and 

 slightly transparent coating. But the solution of the wax in 

 the volatile oil is preferable, because, in addition to its being 

 whiter, a heat of 20 or 25 degrees is sufficient to evaporate the 

 oil, and give more consistence to the coating. Care must at 

 the same be taken not to heat too strongly, Icit the wax itself 

 should be evaporated We may also prime caiwass intended for 

 paintings in the following wav: — 



When the combination of volatile oil and of wax is fixed, it 

 forms a soft paste which may be easily spread over canvass, 

 wood, and marble. By means of a polished hot iron, the wax 

 is made to penetrate these various substances. The heat then 

 evaporates the volatile oil, and a coating of wax only remains. 

 Bv priming canvass in this way we may cover both surfaces, and 

 thus place them out of the reach of air and humidity, which 

 will render their duration almost eternal. 



If it be only wanted to applv one colour upon a base, and to 

 produce what the ancients called a monochrome painting, it is 

 .sufficient to mix the colour which we wish to uscj with the liquid 

 combination of oil and wax, and to stir until the mixture in 

 hardened. We should then apply the p-iste to the surface of 

 the body upon which we wish to paint, and make it penetrate 

 i)y means of an iron slightly heated. Some drops of olive oil 

 spread over the surface will facilitate the operation of polishing 

 which it is important to give to the coat of painting: this slight 

 coat of oil will be afterwards removed by means of a piece of 

 leather or fine linen. By this process the polish of the marble 



statues 



