Interior house-painting colours and technology, 1615-1840

the long version

The study of historic architectural colour is a developing field, with information greatly in demand by all those with an interest in the redecoration of historic interiors. In this volume, the techniques and materials used in interiors by the early house-painter are described, providing comprehensive coverage for architects, historians, interior decorators, and others with a more general leaning to the topic. Hitherto, researchers have largely had to rely on studies of painting materials as applied to fine-art purposes; but although the fields overlap, the requirements of the house-painter, to whom cost was a vitally important consideration, led to significant differences, as this dedicated study makes evident. In addition to the pigments used, succeeding chapters, (drawing on both English and French sources) describe the oils, resins, solvents, and water-based media employed; while the second section of the book is devoted to the way these were applied, techniques used for the imitation of various architectural materials in paint, and the way in which colours were mixed. A glossary of contemporary colour-names is illustrated by samples showing some of the tints obtainable, while marbles and timbers to which references have been found are similarly listed and reproduced. This study will be of interest to all working in the field of historic paintwork, especially for its account of those materials not well covered in fine-art literature. It is essential information for anyone employed in the investigation of physical evidence for early colour schemes, and (in addition to its interest for the general reader) is intended as a major contribution to the accuracy of such work, in which the author has many years experience.