Bronzing | Metallic Finish, Patination & Gilding | Britannica (original) (raw)

bronzing, coating an object of wood, plaster, clay, or other substance to give it the colour and lustre of bronze. Dutch metal, an alloy of 80 percent copper and 20 percent zinc, is frequently used for bronzing. The metal is prepared as a thin foil and then powdered. This powder may be applied directly to objects that have been sized with a spirit lacquer or gold size, or the powder may be combined with spirit lacquer thinned with amyl acetate and the mixture painted on with a brush. Various shades of colour may be obtained chemically; the natural golden colour of Dutch metal can be heightened by applying spirit lacquer coloured with dragon’s blood, a resin obtained from plants.