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Month: March 2020
The art of gilding in ancient times
Even the most ancient civilisations had an excellent grasp of the art of gilding: this is evidenced by the refined gold leaf decorations on the sarcophagi and funerary offerings of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, and the decorations adorning fabrics and wooden and terracotta artefacts in ancient China. Multiple sources attest to the production of […]
SPLENDOUR AT THE TABLE: EDIBLE GOLD
“A small square placed inside a circle, rendered perfect by the harmony of the colours and the contrast between the compact surface of the rice and the gold leaf rippled by the heat”: this is how the world renowned chef Gualtiero Marchesi described his famous “Saffron and gold risotto” in 1981. Ever since that day, […]
LEONARDO DA VINCI’S GOLD BEATING MACHINE
The Codex Atlanticus is an extraordinary source of knowledge on all the various disciplines cultivated by Leonardo da Vinci, and his countless insights in the fields of architecture, hydraulics, medicine, optics, urban planning, astronomy, anatomy and the figurative arts. Its most famous pages are those dedicated to the designs of gears, contraptions, and self-propelled machines, […]
GOLD LEAF PRODUCTION
Gold leaf is obtained through alchemy: its production requires exceptional craftsmanship, sophisticated technologies, and an in-depth knowledge of the secrets of an ancient craft, which is constantly evolving. High quality gold leaf is obtained through a long and complex process: at least ten hours of processing are required to gradually reduce the thickness of gold, […]
24KT SPLENDOUR FOR THE FACE AND BODY
The first historical testimonial of the use of gold in cosmetics was Cleopatra: as a truly timeless icon of beauty, the queen of Egypt used to sleep with her face covered by a thin golden mask in order to preserve her skin’s legendary beauty. Later, bolstered by the belief that gold improved circulation, facilitated drainage, […]
