The gold leaf is widely used for the creation of contemporary works of art and for the restoration of ancient works of art. 

Browse the Gallery to see a selection of the masterpieces made with the Manetti gold leaf.

Gold leaf and art have been closely linked since ancient times. From Egyptian sarcophagi to the golden period of the European Middle Ages, from the Byzantine mosaics to the whims of the Baroque, this mutual predilection has never stopped and is re-emerging with increasing frequency in contemporary art as well. It is therefore not surprising to find the Manetti gold leaf used in the restoration of masterpieces of ancient art such as the admirable Crucifix by Giotto in Santa Maria Novella and the Reliquary of San Giovanni Battista (both preserved in Florence), the Maitreya Buddha in Buryatia (Russia) and of the statues of the Trani Cathedral as well as in works of contemporary art such as the golden trees by Giuseppe Penone, the Sleeper created by Mimmo Paladino for the Boboli Gardens and James Lee's Golden Tower overlooking the canals of Venice. 

Imitation gold leaf, on the other hand, is used above all in the sector of temporary installations, such as the evocative Virgilio Sieni golden carpets in the historic centre of Florence and those created inside the ex-Manifattura Tabacchi for performances and events.