Reconstructing Gilding Structures in Search of Original Surface Effects

Reconstructions of gilded surfaces clarify how medieval images were made and how different materials were applied and manipulated. They also clarify which materials and techniques were appropriate and relevant for the medieval artist to achieve sought-after effects. This chapter examines reconstructions of selected gilding structures and associated analytical data, with the aim to broaden understandings of material and technical aspects that lie behind the final visual effects of gilded surfaces in medieval objects.