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BODLEIAN LIBRARY OXFORD

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1

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^-

THE

HANDMAID

TO T H E

ARTS,

TEACHING,

i. A perfeft knowledge of the materia pidoria : or the na- ture, ufe, preparation, and compofition, of all the vari- ous fubftances employed in painting ; as well vehicles, dryer?, l^c, as colours : in- cluding thofe peculiar to en- amel and painting on glafs.

II. The feveral devices em- ployed for the more eafily and accurately making de- iigns from nature, or de- pided reprcfentations ; ei- ther by off-tracing, calking, redu6lion, or other. means : with the methods of taking cafts, or impreffions, from fi-

gures, bulls, medals, leaves,

III. The various manners of gilding, filvering, and bron- zing, with the preparation of the genuine gold and fdver powders, and imitations of them, as alfp of tlie fat oil, gold fizes, ^nd other necef- faty compofitions :— the art of japanning as applicable not only to the former pur- pcfes, but to coaches, fnuff- boxes, ^c, in the manner lately introduced :— nnd the method of llaining different kinds of fubltances with all the feveral colours.

The whole being calculatxid, as well for conveying a more accurate and extenfive knowledge of the matters treated of to artifts ; as to initiate thofe, who arc defirous to attempt thefe arts, into the method of pre- paring and ufing all the colours, and other fubftances employed in painting in ciiy miniature^ enamel^ varnijh^ ziidfrefcci ^s zX(o \n gildings ^c.

LONDON,

Printed for J. No u r s e at the Lamb oppofite

Katherine'Street in the Slrand.

MDCCLVXII.

f^-

1 4

-^^

» I

s

TO T H E

Noblemen and Gentlemen,

Members of the Society for the Encduragement of Arts, ManufiKftures, andComtoerc^

My Lofxis

and Gentlemen,

THE coffe^ondefjce betwkl the defigft of this Work 2ind the views, on which you have formed yottrlBrjts into l fociety, na- turally points out to fne, towhbm it mfty be addrefled wMi the greateft propriety : and thd fenfe of th« gratitude »duc to you from my(yf and every other member of the community, foi* your zealous application to promote the na- tional intereft, in fome of the moft important though mtith negle(fted matters, gives me a pleafure in embracing this opportunity of ex- prefling my ackiiowledgitients of it.

The furnifhing means of eftablifliing and improving ufefol arts, efpecially thofe which relate to confiderable manufav!tures, and the creating incitements and motives to the exer- cife of thofe means, (however minute and tri- vial fome neceffary particulars of them may appear to thofe w^ho have not duly weighed the nature and corifequence of fuch affairs,) ar>5

A 2 yet.

DEDICATION.

yet, to a country that owes its riches, power, and even domeftic fecurity to commerce, of the greateft concern and moment : and it is more peculiarly meritorious in thofe, who in a private capacity exert their utmoft endea- vours on theie accounts; as fuch perfuits feem to take up a very little fhare of the regard of the public here, at a time, when all the neighbouring governments (and efpecially that of our rival France) make them ^ principal ob- jed: of their attention and care. To you, there- .fore, I dedicate this book : as it is not only in your power, but intirely within the fphere of your profefled intentions, to inforce, in a more ?xtenfive and publicly beneficial way, the practice of many particulars taught in it ; and as it affords me an occafion of declaring that high eftimation of the undertaking of your fociety, and confequential refpe<3: for the mem-- bers of it, which is entertained by

My Lords and Gentlemen, Your moft obedient, and humble Servant,

The AUTHOR,

PREFACE.

That" the national improvement of Jkill and tajie in the execution of works ofdc-- fign is a matter of great importance to any coun^ trjy not only on account of the honour which is derived to civilized nations by excelling in the polite artSy but likewife of the commercial ad^ vantages refulting from itj will be allowed by ally who have not very lingular notions with re-- fpeB to thefe matters: though ^ in what degree fuch improvements are ejfentially interejiing to us at prefenty is fcarcely conceived by any^ unlefs thofe who particularly concern themf elves iir fpe^ culations of this nature. The Jirong difpojitiony that prevails not only in the European countries^ but in the refpeElive fettlements of their people in Afia and America^ for ufng thofe decorations and ornaments in drefs as well as buildings and furniture^ that employ the arts of dejign, giv^s at prefent the foundation to fever al of the mofl conjiderable branches of trade : which are daily increa/ingy with the luxury^ thatfeems removing from the Eajty and fpreading itfelf over thefe JVejiern countries and their colonies^ in fuch manner as will probably foon render fome articles of this kind equals in the return^ tQ the moft A 3 fiaple

vi PREFACE.

fiaple and extenfvwe of thofe of the former eofHh , merce. Andj as feveral circumjlances both oj mr oeconomical and political condition^ by in- hancing tf> a 'very high degree^ the price of com-- mm necejariesy and inttoducing more expenfive modes of lije^ are depriving us of the fhare we bad of the gr offer manufactures that depend on labour y it peculiarly behoves us to exert ourfehes in cultivating th^ of a more refned nature ; iphere Jkill and tafie (in "whi^h we by no means feem naturally wanting) ar^ required t<f give a higher vahie /« the worky andjiand in the place of a greater praportion of manual operation.

It mu/l be with regret^ tberefbrey we fee tie French h^ve got greiily the fiart (f w in this very nmterialperfait: andtbat the encouragement given by the government^ t6getber with the op- portunities afforded by a well infiituted academyy has diffujed fucb a judgment and tajte in defign among allclajfes of the artifonSy as render France at this time the fource of nearly all invention ef fHpnons\ and neceffsn'ily occqfion an extreme great demand from her for all tbofi artichsy in the produBion of which fUch talents are exer^ cijed.

^e advtintagesy which France has new over us in thefe concerns ^ are net ksmeverfo well fe- QUredy that we Jhould defpair of being abky in timfy to wrefi them out oj her hands : for where the mechanical party either as it depends on ma- chines or manual dexterityy is in quejliony we have given on all occajions the proofs of fuperior ' ainlities ; and whenever y there/ore, the improve^

ment

v

PREFACE. vii

ment tf f^cy and propriety in the de/igmng uf modek and patt€rm Jfxm be jo far advanced here^ as to put m neatly on a level with her in th^ p^nts^ we Jbali^fim become as formidable a ri^ val to ber^ in what Jbe no^ confiders her pccu- 6unfi, as Jhe has in a parallel maimer been before to usy in the woollen trade, from our advanced price of labour.

The meafiireSy by which this i^ery defrable end m^ be attained^ confiji of three particulars : the founding a well regulated academy y where not onfy youth Of^ novices may have an opportunity of being well initiated in the principles ^dcfign i hit where e^en artifis themfehes may havm the means of and inducement to further Jiudy^ in order to tbejirongeji exertion of their genim ; -^tbe creat-^ ing jueh incitements, hy pecuniary rewards or honorary diJlinciionSy td excel in ihefe artSy and more ejpecially in the applicixdon of them to the perfe&tng tbofe manuf azures, to which, they bavt any re lotion y as may Simulate the more indolent, and raife greater emulation among the forward, to apply their utmoji powers to excel \— and the diffii/ing a more general and accurate knowledge of thofe fecondary or auxiliary arts that are r^-» quifte to the praBifing deiign ; or to the exeai^ tion (f works dependant on it. Thefrji of thejit meoHSy viz. the e^e&ing an academy ofdj^tSy we mufi hopey when the goFoernment^ Jhall be freed from the embarrajjing concerns of a wary will be thought an objeSl worthy their notice and care -, fnce it is too apparent y from the failure of the attemps already madey that nothing eje^ual

A 4 with

V r' f\ r /% ^ K.

jrv in jhifin ^yf/;/«7' i .•, -xjf//, /// /;;;//•, he ade-^ qftnftl<: pir,rfiftf1 /^y flw hvuifihlf niHcavom's oj thi. fffirix ff,nllifttf',1 fn fhif (fh1\ /fih) irhichy from ihi tnnii'iunl nncllir,n /-/ mrpfihns^ frrws to prO'^

r^i/' /A f'jri-f/-r>7 f,j tuvph' fuv^U f nv (be purpojc:

ih, 1,7^1 nrr ;■•/.»', /v/ In hr lupplivii h\ fbis tVOrk \. hff ',f^-fh ir^h-rf iiflr ir. \vtrffs^ / rnvfl Ic/TOC it tO

fhr 'V/Vr**''"''' r / ihr pffhl'w to <ivf ermine : ovh I trill vr^ /'»' l'f\"[\ o1 Ibt^oini^ ffimi^vhat more e\pf'i'''\ h ',\ ft; irr/vi/ p/riifrNl/ir mtivvcr it is

p7',zf^^-h\} fr A cMjfhfC'^iv fr- thi< rfj/i.

fh,' ^--'J \;.-,' ■ 7. '.'»,'■•.■ fh,- n/ifit'/i: hflfn^'w /**'"/)/7»*/'- ^.V'V, "\- ;/'■'. rr' r/'T /'J?/v fh,' luhlhTViW- n^ -Ik-hiH

.•■>*■ '

■./

PREFACE. IX

/ourSy from the fordidnefs and ignorance of the yewSy and other low people concerned in the pre^ paration of them ^ is a di [advantage of the high- ejl moment tofuch as painty even with the greats eft Jkillj either in oil or water ^ and what they can find no appofite remedy againji without fome aid of this kind. For^ as the preparation of co- lours is kept a fecret in the hands of thoje few who manufaSiure them^ either here or abroad^ and confequently is very little known to modern painters y and a much greater Jkare of knowledge in natural hijiory^ experimental pkilofoph\\ and chemijiryy is required^ to the underjtanaing the nature of the JimpleSy and principles of the com-- pofitionj in a fpecnlative lights than is confjlent with thefudy of other fuhje£ls more immediately necejfary to an artiji ; there remains no means of furmounting this difictdtyy but by being fuppliedj by fome perfon^ whofe application could he more properly direBed to the attainme?it ofthisfcience^ with Juch afyftem of the theory and praBice of every thing relating to the Materia PiBoriay as may enable them either to prepare the colours themfeheSj where not to be otherwife obtained perfeB'y or to judge critically with fame certainty of the goodnejs offiich as they procure from others. This I have therefore attempted en their behalf: and I hope not in vain 3 as not o?dy a general ac- qiiaintance with thepraBice of the fever al branches of the chemical arty but a very large experimental inquiry into the nature of ikefe fubjedls in par-- ticulary form my pretenfions to fome knowledge of them.

X PREFACE.

Ai the depravity of the manner of prepara-* tim has alfo extended itfelf to the wry priming ^cktbsfor grounds of paintings (a work truJU ed too negleUfidly at prefent to the care ofcohur-^ men), from whence great inconvenience to the fainter and detriment to the piSiures^ are pro- ducedy I have fubjoined a method^ by which thofe^ who are really in earnefi about the merit of their performancesy may procure cloths to be made without either Jlijeningy cracking., or caufing (as it is called) the colours to £bk in : andy as this has an apparent utility with reJpeSi ta painters in the caje of new piiluresyfo the improvements offered in the methods of cleanings prefrving^ and mendings tbofe of older date, are' not kfs obvioii/ly beneficial to (ihers pojfeffed ^former works. The art of cleaning p^ures veing indeed of the utmofl confequence to the in- ierejt of tafte : as no lover of the polite arts can refeBy without the utmoft regret^ on the va/l bavock made in the works of all the great mqfiers^ by erroneous and faulty management in this points

A complete fyftem of the theory andproQice of enamel painting forms the next article : the va^ lue of which will be bejl underjlood by thofo^ for whofe ufe it is intefided: for as this art is of late introduclion among usy and the manner of conducting ity with refpeSi to the preparation and compoftion of the colours^ faixeSy a^idgroundsy has been carefully concealed in the places abroad where it has been higer ejlablijhedi a very f mall Jhare of knowledge in the preparation of the co- lours^

PREFACE. xi

kwrs^ and yet lejji (fftbat of the grtmnis dndfwctSy is the wbok hitherto gained by the artijis of this 4»untty: who are mojily obliged to empby a 'white enamel prepared at Venice f» their grmnd\ to pick up the remains of a kind ofglafs formerly made there for a fiux\ and to proeurt the colotirs^ either in a more perfeS or faukt fiate as they can meet with them s except in tie cafe ofthdfe who have recipes for fme kinds which they prepare y btit with that precariouMs of the qualities^ that attends the blindly fmonmng re^ cipes^ without any comprehet^on either of the ge-^ nsral properties of the ingredients^ or principles of the (Rations. From which circumjlances^ uncertainties in tbejicccefs and embarra/fments in the W9rk are the frequent refult ; as well from a want of under/landing the nature of the fubfanees they tfe-^ as the not being able to procure what ie good of each kindy or ft for their particular pur^

2^ a/^ing in the cultivation of the- art of enamelling here was indeed one principal obfcM of the defgn of this book : as . that art is very znaterialfy interefiing to us at prefent-^ being - become the bafis of a manufaBurey from which we may expeSl great advantages \ fnce we already fee it carried fuddenly to fuch a degree of p^^ feBion with refpeSl to the facility of workin^^ as to raije a demand for the produce in foreign markets \ mtwithjianding the long praiiice Md cheap living of the people of Geneva, who had been in poffejjion c^ this branch of commerce

for

xii P R E I^^ A C fi.

for a con^derMe time^ gave them origindlly the greatefi advantages in it over us.

T^he painting on glafs with vitreous colours is not a matter of equal importance with enameU ling : hut, as it is confdered as one of the arts of which the myjiery is at prefent loji to us, (though J on the contrary^ being in faSl nothing more than painting with tran^arent enamel co- lours on glafs grounds by much the fame methods , the modem improvements made in the art of en- amelling hafve given us an equal fuperiority in this,) I thought it a necejfary part of the work ; and have accordingly entered on an explanation of the whole of it-, availing my f elf never thelefs, if its affinity with enamel paintings fo as to refer fir mofl particulars to what was bejore laid down en that f core ^ and inlarge only on fome points in which a difference is found betwixt them. But I flatter myfelf that^ notwithfianding the brevity of the manner^ any perfon may^ by a proper at^ tention to what is delivered on this heady eafily make himfelf mafler of every thing pecidiar to painting on glafs.

The gilding enamel and glafs h vitreous co- lours J and annealing, was a necejjary appendage to the art of painting in enamel : but there is yet another circumfiance which made the commu" nication of the befi methods of doing this of fome confequence to the public. It is the great demand now fubfijling for drinking glaffes with gilt edges, which ere mofily^ at prefent, either imported from Germa?iyy or fraudulently imitated here by gilding with gum water or fizes that will not

bear

PREFACE. xiii

hear moijiure : though^ were the means well im- derjioody they might tJi large parcels^ with very little more expence or trouble^ be done in the genuine manner.

The method of taking off mezzotint o prints on glafsj which makes the next article^ is not d matter of any great momejit : butj as the prac- tifing it is very alluring^ by the produSlion of piBures even without being able to draw^ it may be an inducement to fome to apply themfelves to painting and thejiudy ^/'defign ; fnce thofe will not Jong reji fatisfea with this manner of exer-- cijing their fancy ^ who have a genius for greater things.

Tthe art ofwajhing maps and other print s^ is however of more general uje : and requires no apology for holding a place in the work.

The devices and mechanical means employed for the more eafly and accurately obtaining out- line fketches of defigns after nature or works of art^ which begin the Jecond party are of the greateji afijlance and fervice to all who paint or draw : and though moji of them are known to artijis of larger experience \ yet beginners are to learn them^ and moji frequently want an adequate opportunity \ on wkofe account therefore- they were necejfaryfor the anfwering the full intention of this book: and perhaps even fuch as are more verfed in thefe matters ^ may meet with Something not unacceptable to them in a colleBion of inventions of this nature ^ fo copious as that here given.

"The

xiv PREFACE.

^I%e methods &/ C€^ing in large ^ which foU hw in this party will be much lefs exfen/ivefy ufifid\ as it is pradtifed only by few j iznd the managing it in more difficult cafes mt eafify re^ dwible to rule : but fime notice of them were wanting to render the fyftem complete ; efpecially as they are conneSled, Jo as not to bearivell afe^ paration from them^ tvJfh tho/e ofcafting medals and other fmailer pieces^ and the manner of tak^ ing off imprejfms from various fubjeSts ; both which are articles of very general utility.

The diff laying the feveral methods of gilding y which is done in the third party will be found a convenience to numbersy who would occafionally praSiife themy if they had the means in their power : and the application of the art of japan- ning to fo many purpofeSy where a mixture of gilding is required y as the introduSlim of papier madu^ has occafioned lately y makes this commu- nicotian particularly Jea/onable at prefint.

Silvering and bronzing have mfb their utility y

though in a lefs degree than gilding j and there--

fare properly claim to folhw it : as they are in

faSi only different applications of the fame means.

Ihe knowledge of the methods of japanning is at prtfent more wanted than that of any other of th^ myfierious arts whatever ; as it is now demanded to be pradHfed on coaches and other vehicles in a very large and expenfve wayy by thofe who till lately were utter frangers to it. Information aftms kindy fitch ai is intended to be conveyed in the fourth chapter of this party is in a peculiar manner requijite to them ) that they may the more I eafily

PREFACE. XV

e^ and readily execute thafe defigns they have Jhevon ibtml^hxi capable of makings (wbm Jup^ Jicientiy paid to ^crd the due application J wtth a tqfte imdjudgnmit^ that prwes them to be not greatly inferior to the French^ in tins Jpecies of performance^ though fi lately undertaken by them. Laquering had too great an affinity vntbjapan^ fungy not to be joined with it in this ^ork ; though it is of lefs confequence Havingy how^ every been carried by Jome to much greater per- feBion here^ than in any other country y even to the rivalling gilding in its effediy the communis eating the befi compofition of laquer to num^ berSy nd>o are either compelled to purchafe what they ufe of particular perfons that have tbefecrets of preparing ity or to employ a very inferior kind rf their own proJkiBiony is not without fuch advantagesy as may make it to be properly con^ fidered as one means of improvement in the more elegant mamfaBures.

^Hm means ffjiaining papery parchment y woody ivory^ boney horn, andfimes of arty kindy with all the variety (f colour Sy make the lafi contents of this work \ and willy Ihopey for purpofes of real t^e as well as amufementy be found agreeable to many, ^hcir greatefi relation to the arts of difign lieSy howevery in the article of gaining fhms'j from the fre^entoccafonsflatuariesy and ntbers who work in marble and alabaflery have to give artifdal colours to them : the method of doing whicby in a more perfeSt manner ^ isy nc-^ ^^dfeiefs^ known to very few at prefent.

Tbefe

xvi PREFACE.

TTjcJc are the particular topicks of injlrudlion by which this book is intended to promote the im- provement of the artSy and the more curious kinds of manufaSlures : and excepting engfav^ ingy etchings and fcraping mezzotintoSy they comprehend moji fubjeSis that have any imme^ diate relation to them : though fome are touched upon in a more copious y and others only in a brief manner y according to the importance of the mat- tery or the room given for an advantageous in-- largement on it.

^e articles of engraving and etchingy ejpe- daily as far as regards the compofition and ap^ plication of the two kinds of varnijh or groundy and the refpeSlive forts of aquafortis y did very properly belong to the work ; and were originally propofed to have been comprized in it : but in feeking after the latefl improvementSy a favour- able opportunity offered of procuring fuch a quan- tity of ufeful matter refpeSling the prefent prac- tice of thefe arts in France y where they have been much more cultivated than hercy as wouldy with- cut fupprefjing fome valuable party have fwelled the volume beyond the expedient bulk ; and in- hanced the price of it in fuch a manner y as might hofve fniftrated in fome degree the end of the pub- lication ofit'y by preventing its reaching the hands of many of the lower artifanSy for whofe ufe if was in part intended. It was therefore judged more proper to referve what was propofed to have been given on thefe headsy together withfeveral other articles that might have been acceptable to particular fets of peopky but were of lefs gcne- I ral

PREFACE. xvU

rul utility y and remoter amneSlion with theprin^ cipal "view than tbofe at prefent infertedy for a Jupplemental work.

It may probably be imagined y that the ends pro^

pofed by this treatife may be anfwered by the writ^

ings (f others already publiJJoed : as there is more

than one book in our own language y which pre^

tend to pkns not greatly different from that on

which it is formed y befdes a multiplicity of others

that profefs to teach particular arts : but on a

ckfer examination lam afraid it will by no means

be found that all the volumes which have been

compiled on thefe heads taken together y and much

kfs any Jingle one of the number y have effeSiually

provided tjbe information wantedy or even gone

any confiderable lengths towards it. One could

fcarcely believey neverthelefsy without having

perufed themy that abnoji every book already writ^

tenon thefe fubjeSisfo generally interejlingjhould

be egregiouJUyrdefeSlive in matter, formy and

ver(Kity ; and yet this is almoji equally the cafe

ofallwb^e they are treated of in a more copious

and extenfive manner. But it will appear Ufs

txtraordiw^y when weftndy that the authors were

far the .mofi part unacquainted in an experimental

way with what they took upon them to teachy and

not better qualified with any fpeculative knowledge

that could enable them to judge critically of what

they prpcured on the authority of other Sy andthere^

fore either blindly copied afer former writers y at

addedirnplicitlyfucb additional articles as the re-^

ports of living per fons they inquired of furnijhed

tkemmtki wd vitrf perbfips .fis ojten deceived

a by

xviii PREFACE.

by the defign as the ignorance of thofefrom whom they fought information y being themjehes pojjibly not always veryfollicitous,fo much avout the value as the quantity of what they collected.

With reJpeSi to the preparation of painter'* s co^ tours^ Neri, in his treattfe on glafs^ feems to have laid the foundation for all the cdleSlions of recipes of that kind publijhed here -J probably from its be- coming known by means of Merrefs iranflatim^ to the writers^ whofe reading was not extenfive enough to lead them to an acquaintance with BirelluSj or the parages in Matbiolus, JVormius^ Cefalpinus, and others who have occafonally touched on this head.

Caneparius in his book de atramentis gave a more extenfive view of the preparation andcompo^ ftion of pigments far painting ; by adopting what Neri had given, (though he has never quoted hi ^ by name) and adding feveral other particulars omit- ted by him ; as likewife a variety of other prac^ tices relating to the arts ; but mixt with many er- roneous andfalfe accounts both of theproceffes and the produce of them.

Merret an Englijh phyfcian tranflated Neri into our language, and gave notes upon him : but not having, as appears,, the leaji light to direSl him in his opinions, but what hd borrowed from * other writers, his obfervations neither illuftrated nor augmented in any material degree the contents of Neri' shook.

Kunkel republifhed in the German language Neri's work with Merrefs notes ^ and his own ob^ fervations on both : and be alfo infer ted as well

ther^

PREFACE. XIX

there as in bis- other difertations on the an of making glafs^ feveral procejfes for the preparaticn of painters colours much better than thofe of Neri $r the others before him ; as likewije many other ufeful recipes refpeSiing the arts and myfterictis trades : but bejeems to be the only writer^ who has treated tbefe fubjeSis in a more diffufioe manner^ that was experimentally converfant with what he undertook to teach.

After this Salmon in his Polygraphices took upon him to give inftruSlions for the praSlice of almoji all the arts and myjierious trades : and by the ajfiflance of thejormer writers^ and private information^ got together a larger body of mat^ ter refpeSiing thefe fubjeSls than any before him had done : bis colle^ion would indeed have bad conjiderabh merit at th^ time it waspublijhed, if the valuable parts bad not been confounded with jucb a heap of abfurdjluff andfalfities as ren- dered every pajfage Jujpicious ; and dijpofed in a manner fo void of all order and method^ that (an - index being wanting likewifej it was impraSiica-^ ble^ without turning over and carefully examin* ing a great number of pages^ to find any article required ; though feveral are repeatedfour or five times over in different places : which dijiculty of finding what was wanted^ and uncertainty whe^ tber what might be found would prove a jufi ac^ count of the matter^ or fome extravaga7it blun- der or impoftiony difcouraged thofe who might have profited by many of his recipes and infruc^ tions^ fromfeeking any affiftance from him in matters of a more nice or uncommon nature. a 2 But

X3i PREFACE.

But this conduSi in digejiing with fo little care^ and debafing with impertinencies andfaljhoods^ the proper matter of that work is no great ground of wonder in the cafe of a writer^ who, after he found this book met with a good reception from the public, was capable of confpiring with book-^ fellers to blend a long difcourfe of chiromantical fignaturesy or the means of telling fortunes by the lines of the hands, and a mafs of the mojl riS-* culous nonfenfe that has been written on the phi^ lofophers Jlone^ with the contents of a treatife profefjing to convey a practical knowledge of the ufefularts, for the fake of enlarging the volume j in order to raife the price ^ under pretence that ' valuable additions had been made to the work. The lajl performance of this kind was pub^ lifloed under toe affuming title of the School of Arts : from which name one might have hoped^ if not for a complete fyflem of knowledge oj this kind^ at leafi for fomewhat better than the eat-^ Her writers had produced: efpecially as many amendments of the former fraStice^ as well as the introduSion into ufe of feveral important inventionSy had furnijhed much ampler matter. But the author in/lead of fhunning their errors^ or availing bimfelfofthe advantages the prejent Jtate oJ things gave him over them^ adopted with great augmentation all the defeSls and faults of thofe who had gone before him ; and formed his work on a plan that deprived him of all opportunity of profiting of the greater ad^ vance towards perfeStion tf the modem praSlice. 1 For^

PREFACE. tu

PifTj being a German^ (as I angeSure from his manner of changing the EngUJh idiom) j he feems to have conceived^ that nothing could be added to the labours of bis cmntrymen: and has^ therefore^ with refpeS at leaft to thofe topics be has touched upon in common with this work^ confined himfelf to tranjlating and compiling from Kunkel, and other Germans-, who being of older date could notfupply him with the im^ prowments and inventions of the prefent time. In confequence of which conduSl^ obfolete and in-- fufficient methods are t aught y injiead of the modem and effeBual : and many of the mofi material articles whoUy omitted \ as, in the in fiance of ^ gilding, aH the infirudiions are confined to me-- tals*i and with regard even to them, relate only to means now exploded: and many im-^ fortant makers Jhifffy conneSled with his plan, are not once mentioned in the book*, white othrs <ff much lefs confequence^ as the method of chryfiallizing fiver under the re- femblance of a tree^ are repeated four or five times emer. hike Salmon, he gleaned aljb toge^ tier ail the extravagancies he could lay hold of in order to increafe the fze of the work to the bookfellers unreajonabk flandard : and therefore injerted in his frfi volume, a mofi prepofterous and tyiw account of the breeding filk worms by putrefied veal, and producing fir ange ferpents by equivocal generation I and in his fecond volume^ a differt^tion on the catching^ breeding, feeding, and teicbing nightingales, which takes up fix^ teen pages \ with a multiplicity of other fucb a 3 wretched

xxii P R E F A C E.

wretched abfurdities in botb^ as greatly dtfgrace the title ^School of Arts ; and conduce indeed^ from their having been Jo often admitted into them^ to make ivorh of this kind in general contemptible. But ichat is/lill mojl unhappy in the caje of this auth:r^ he appears neither to have underjiood the language he tranjlated jrom^ nor that he wrote in : from whence the recipes and objervations be has given are fo ill deliver^ edy by his mifiaking the fenfe of technical terms^ and putting the name of one thing for another^ nvith refpeB even tojkbftancesy as^ together with the alterations he has had the vanity to make in ^ them ^ from the manner they were given by thofe he took themfrom^ according to his owngrofs mtfcon- ccptionsy render them frequently unintelligible ; and not to be depended upon in many injiances.

T^he pretenjions of the ojlentatious works^ the Cyclopedias^ and Encyclopedias, and other fucb Dioiionaries^ have not been ^ however -^ much more made good than thofe of the School of Arts : for indeed it is furprifmg how Jfjam^ully jtlent theje books ^ which profefs to comprehend every thing relating to fubjeSls of this kind, are with refpeSl to mojl of the ejfential articles-, even thofe where the writings of others had they been indu'- firiovjly confulted, would have furnijhed what was required : nor is the French DiBionary ntnv puhlijloing^ in the leaji an exception to this ; for^ on examining it, in order to have informed my^ felf of the methods praSiifid by the French with refpecl to certain particulars in which they ex^ eel, I-Jiasfurprijedtojindy that^ infome cafes^

every

PREFACE. xxiii

every thing cmceming them was intirely omitted-, and in others^ recipes, or other paffages, taken from fome of the old books with the moft injuH^ cious choice^ ft^ppH^d the place ofthejujl account of the improved methods obtained from the ableli praSlitioners of the federal arts^ whicb^ in the propofals for this work, were promifed to have been given. There is, among many others, a glaring injlance of this in the article Carmine ; which pigment, being prepared at Paris in much greater perfe&ion than any other place at pre^ fent^ and of the greatejl confequence in painting with water colours^ was well worth the attention of the compilers of this work : but^ inftead of any account of the modern and efficacious praSlice of the preparation of carmine^ which is not moreover a fecret in the hands of a Jingle perfon^ but known to fever al who make it to^ get her with other colour s^ all, that is infer ted on this head^ conffis of three recipes taken from the old writers-, two of which contains only direc- tions for doing what will be barren of any ufeful produB i and the other a badprocefs taken from Kunkelfor making lake of Brazil wood, which is, neverthelefs, praifed as the comrhunication of an excellent method of making carmine. I was indeed dif appointed in my expectations from that worky with relation to this important article i as it has never been in my power to dif cover by experiments, or procure by information, the knowledge of the means of preparing carmine of equal goodnefs with that of the French : but chufe much rather to acknowledge my ignorance a 4 /«

XXIV PREFACE.

in this foitit, iharij like the preceding writers^ to cbtrude abfird and Jrnitlefs procejes on the fublic, in the place of the proper and effeSiual.

I am fenjibky I run fome hazard of a retali- ationy in canvajfing thus freely the performances cf others \fmce doubtlefs my own is not exempt frcm errors and dejeBs. But I thought it a necfj/ary vindication of theje kinds of writings^ and f n:y oivn undertaking in particular y to fke^ii\ that the caufe oj the difregard or even contempt, in which the great eji parts of the books of this kind are held by the more judicious^ did net arife from the nature of thefubjeB^ but the jculty manner of treating it\ through the infuf- ficicncy and penality of the authors. And ivitb refpcSi to my own mijcarriages, I am fo little cc7:fcicus of having occafoned them, either by neg- hify cr a mercenary conduSi^ that I am not in the Icofi diffident cj trujUng my work to the can- d(nr of the im parti al^ who wtll excufe fome mif tckes andomiJfionSy which in taking fo great ajccpe of ftihjeSi it is almcft impojfible to avoids on the fcof e of fo many ufeful articles as will be found to be inferted : Jor, with refpeSi to the far great efi part^ 1 can vouch them to be authentick and jufiy either from my own experiments and cbfervaticns^ the information of per/ons of un- doubted veracity who have praGlifed them^ or clear deditSf ions from uJiqu^Vonable principles.

CON-

CONTENTS.

P ART T.

Of the Matenal^idork: or the n^f ture, prepa^tidn j and \l{e of ft^ the various fubihnces employed m painting.

o

CrtAP. L

F the fUbftaiicfcsr ih general ufed in painting. -*.

CHA?. IT.

Of colours*

SECT. I. Of cohtdrs in gentroL p. 3

SECT. 11. Qftbeulenjib, inkriaunts, &c.

Jubjeroierit to the makings am prtparing oh

Jours. I a

SECT. III. Of the gener^ {Rations fub^

firvient to the making cr preparing cohurs. 29 3 E C T. IV. Of the nature^ and preparation

of particular colours. 4^

CHAR

CONTENTS.

CHAP. III.

Of the vehicles, dryers, and other fubftanccs, ufed in painting, for the laying on and bind- ing the colours.

S E C T. I. Of the vehicles^ dryers, 6cc. in

generate P* ^34

SECT. II. Of oils in general 139

SECT. III. Of particular oils. 144

SECT. IV. Of particular dryers. 14^7

SECT. V. Of the fuhftances ufed for ren-

dering water a proper vehicle for colours. 1 ^4

SECT. VI. Of the fubjiances ufed to render

fpirit of wine a vehicle for colours. 1 58

CHAP. IV.

Of the manner of compounding, and mixing the colours with their proper vehicles, for each kind of painting.

S E C T. I. Of the colours proper to be ufed

with oih\ and the manner of compounding and

^- 'mixing fhem with the oils ahd dryers. 162

S E C T. 11. Of the colours proper to be ufed

in painting in miniature ^ or with water ; with

• /* tbenianner of mixture^ or compofition of themy

' with iheir proper vehiclesi 166

■SEC T.' III. Of the colours ft to be ufed in

frefcOy or painting with ftze 'y and the manner

- of mixing and compounding them with the pro-

per vehicles. \ 74

SECT,

contents;

SECT. IV. qf the colours proper to be ufed in vamijh painting j and the manner of mixing and compounding them with the proper vehi- cles, p. 176

CHAP. V.

Of the nature and preparation of paftils ot crayons.

C H A P. VI.

Of the grounds for the feveral kinds of painting.

SECT. I. Of the grounds for oil paint- ing. 201

SECT. II. Of the grounds for water co- lours. 205

SECT. IIL Of grounds for frefco paints

ing. 207

S E C T. IV. Of the grounds for varnifi

painting. 208

CHAP. VII.

Of the methods of varnifhing and prcferving pictures and paintings. 209

CHAP. VIII.

Of mending and cleaning pi6hires and paintings.

8 E C T. I. Of mending pieiures. , 216

SECT. 11. Of cleaning piBures and paints

ings. 218

CHAP.

CONTENTS.

CHAP. IX.

Of thc5 nature, preparation, and ufc, of the Icvcrul fubflunccs employed in enamel painting.

S I- C T. 1. Of the general nature of enamel pjintiiig. p. 228

S K r T/ II. Of the apparatusy orfet ofuten- fih fr tlv pn faring ond laying en the grcuyids mhII ivht$rs in en.r*nel fain:i?it^. 2 •; 3

S K t^ l\ 111, 0/^ :bc i^ern^aJ f:r.tun\ anJcp^ /;;,\j//iW ct .'xv /;..';;,;v/,v /./,.: ;/; r\:*r:i pJ:.':>

S K C T, IV. Or:tk cv -^ v;.::\: j::J/repjr^

iV..... z —

S F v.^ r. M t: ■' .'X- . . - r • . -• -: V .r.-i --

Ik,

CONTENTS,.

SECT. I. Of the general nature of painting on glafs with vitreous colours, p. 309

S E C T. . II. Ofglafsy as a ground for paint- ing 'witb vitreous colours, «r ly burning, 311

SECT. HI. Of the fiuxes and colours toAe uftd in painting on gJafs by burning. 3^ 3

SECT. rV. Of ^tnanmr of laying ibe<o- kurs on ghfs grounds ^ and burning tbm. 34 8

CHAP. XL

Of gilding enamel and glafs l^ burning, 320,

CHAP. XII.

Of the taking off mezzotinto prints on glafs 5 and painting upon them with oil, or varniih colours. 325

CHAP. xni.

Of colouring or wafhing maps, prints, &c. 327

PART ir.

Of tiie fcveral arts ufed in making outline Sketches of defigns from nature, or de- vpidled reprefentations,; and of the mcap§, ^f taking cafts, and impreffions, from fi- ^guresi bufls, medals, leaves, &4:.

CHAP.

CONTENTS.

CHAR L

Of the devices employed, for the more eafily obtaining a juil outline in making defigns from nature ; and the various methods of tracing, calking, 'and reducing pictures, prints, or drawings. P- 33^

CHAP. 11.

Of the means of taking cafts, and impreffions from figures, bufts, medals, leaves, &c. 349

PART III.

Of gilding, filvering, bronzing, japanning, la- quering, and the ftaining different kinds of mbftances with all the variety of colours.

CHAP. I. Of gilding.

S E C T. I. Of gilding in generaL . 3 67

SECT. II. Of the inJlrumentSy which are

common to the oily burntjhy and japanners gild-

ing. 370

SECT. III. Of the manner of oil gilding ;

mtb the preparation of fat oil. 372

SECT.

C O N T E N T S. ""^

SECT. rV. Of bumijh gilding -, with the preparation of the proper fizesy &c. p. 377 S E C T. V. Of japanners gilding. 384 S E C T. VI. Of gilding paper, and velbm or parchment. 390

SECT. VII. Of gilding leather. 398

SECT. VIII. Of gilding glafs without an- nealing of burning. 399

CHAP. II. Of filvering. 401

CHAP. III. Of bronzing. 494

CHAP. IV.

Of japanning.

SECT. I. OJ japanning in general. 406 SECT. II* Of japan grounds. 410

SECT. III. Of painting japan work. 42 1 SECT. IV. Of vamijhing japan work. 423 SECT. V. (^ Riding japan work. 428

CHAP. V.
Of lacquering.	428
■ ■ •■ i	CHAP.

(^ o^ N ar E N T ^.

CHAP. VL

Pf ftaining wjoocj^-r^ivwy, t)one, and honjj— ,. paper, and pardiment, — alabafter, mvble, and other ^pnes, of yaripus colour^.

SECT. I. .Qf^ainwgwood. p- 434

SECT. II. Ofjiainijtgivory^ bom, or hone ,

441

SECT. III. Ofjiaining papery or parch- ment of various colouri. 445

5 E C T. rV. Ofjiaining alabafer, marble, and 9tberJloneSi of various colours. 447

ADVERTISEMENT.

IF any word occur in the contents of the follow- ing pages, jvbicb may oot bc^nd^rftopd by the reader ;. on confulting the ind^, a reference .wiU be kiways.found to fomepiace-wbpre it is fully e^pl^ia- cd: this work being intended, along with other pur- pofes, to anfwer that of a gloflSiry to -the -technical words and expreflions, relatiqgtothefubje&s>treated of, peculiar to painters and otber artifts.

PART

"PARTI.

OF THE MAtERIA PICTORIA:

OR,

The nature, preparation, and ufe of all the Various fubftances employed in painting.

C H A P. L

Of the fubftances in general ufed in painting.

TM E principal kind of fubftances ufed in painting is the COi O UR S : by which, is to be underftood, all the various bodies employed by painters, for pro- ducing the difference of hue or teiht : but, as feveral of. thefe are of a folid confiftence, and an earthy, or incohering texture, it was necef- fary, as well for the laying them on, and ^reading them properly, as for the binding and making them adhere to the grounds on which they arc laid, that, in many cafes, fomewhat of a fluid natue fhould be added to give them an unftuous confiftence while ufed, and proper degree of tenacity when again dry :

B and,

2 Or THE Substances

and, to this end, many difFeient kinds of bo-» dies have been applied; from whence proper VEHICLES ha^ tfeen formed, which^ at the fame time, anfwer the double purpofe of reducing the t:ok)ifrs to a ftatb fk for meir being worked with the hrufli or pencil, and of cementing them to each odier and the ground they are laid upan ; as alfo of defbading 4hem from being eafily injured by accidents.

The fubftances ufed in painting may be therefore all confidered as of thefe two kinds ; Colours and Vehicles. For, though there are feveral ufed occafionally, whic3i are not imme- diately fubfervicnt to the principal intentions of vehicles ; yet, being employed to remedy the defefts of diofe whidi arc, they muft be confi- dered as fiibordinate to them ; and ought, con- fequently, to be clafled with fuch as compofe vehicles.

The nature of thefe fecondary intentions, I fhall, thterefore^ point out in its due pkce ; and reduce &e fubftances ferving to them to their jproper claiTes accordingly : as it is necef- iary, m order to underftaijd critically and com- pletely the art of preparing ^tnd ufing the various articles of the materia pidoria, ta comprehend clearlv die general intentioa vot which each is ufed, as well as to know the- particular purpofc to which it is= applied. And^ for the fame reafon, as alfo for the toke othtm^ intelligibly concife, 1 ihall treat of the whole under fuch methodical diftindtions as refer to thefe intentions : adopting, neverthelei, oa

every

*fery ofecafloii, die terins of art in comrtiott Uft ; ttftd ekplaining tfaem, according to thd fiiduriihg they beat when applied with any propikty or preciiion, by the particular rela-> Um they have td tbefe intentionsi

■'•>■• Iff

CHAR IL Of Colours,

SECT. I. Of colours in general.

COLOURS maybe tith& PIGMENTS or fluids. BypigmentSy is meant all fuch folid bodies as require to be mixed with fome fluidi as a V^ick, befdre they be ufed as paints^ (except in the cafe of crayons^ where they are iJfid dry.) Thefe mal^e the faf greateft part of die whole i the fluid colours being only a fi&all nUinber employed along with water to-^ loitfj) ihA ^^ialtum, which is fonfietim^ em- pbj^d ifi oil painting.

Ccrfobrs are diftinguiihed into ieveral kindSi ^cordii^ €0 die vehicles in which they are WorkcMl } as oil colours, water colours, enamel ttiiami^ &€. As the &une ibrts of pigmeAts^ howerer, are, in maAy infl:ances, employed ia more d^tn one kind of paintings as vermilion and fcdbe in feveral, and ultramarine in all. X iball not diflribufe them info clafles, in thati view, till I come to fpe^ of their particular ap{)lkatiim > but threat ^ prefent c^ ^em pro^^

B z mif«

4 * Of THE Substances mifcuoufly in teaching their general nature and preparation ; dividing them according to their affinity in colour only ; lince this method of arrangement will not only render each article more eafy to be found ; but, at the fame time, exhibit to the artift together the whole ftock of every kind from whence he muft take what he wants on each occafion : by which, he will be the more enabled, to chufe what may beft fuit his particular purpofe. For the fame reafon, alfo, this method is certainly more expedient than the difpofing them in clafles, according to their natural relation to each other, as earths, minerals, vegetables, &€-, which would lead to the like kind of confufion and repetition.

The principal' qualities in colours, confi- dered with regard to their perfeftion or faulti- nefs, are two j purity of colour, and durable- nefs : purity of colour is, by the painters, called BRIGHTNESS ; and the defeft of it FOUL- NESS, or fometimes the BREAKING THE COLOUR : durablenefs is called STANDING ; and the negation or want of it FLTING or FLTING OFF', which terms, for concifenefs, I (hall ufe in fpeaking of thefe qualities,

Brightnefs znAJianding well are the only pro- perties, wmch are neceflary to the perfection of every kind of colours ; and they equally relate to all J but there are others, which are effen- tial to many forts, with regard only to pardcu^ lar purpofes and ufes : fuch of them, however, as do not fall within the general confideratiorx of the nature of colours, will be treated of in

thofe

9

USED IN Pa IN TIN G. 5

Aofe parts of the work where the particular ufes 01 colours come in )g[ueftion.

The moft confiderable of the more general properties of colours after pi^ity and durable- nefs, or brigbtnefsy zndjianding welly are tran- sparency and opacity ; for according to their condition, with refpcft to thefe qualities, they arc fitted to anfwer very different kinds of pur- poies« Colours which become tranfparcnt in oil, fuch as lake, Pruflian blue, and brown | pink, are frequently ufed without the admix- ture of white, or any other opake pigment ; by which means, the teint of the ground on which Aey are laid retains in fbme degree its forcei; and 'the real colour, produced in the painting, is the combined effeft of both. This is called G£/-/^Z/iVG, and the pigments in- -ducd wi!h fuch property of becoming tran- Iparent in oil j are called glazing colours. The lame holdsf-^od alfo of fuch colours as are tranfparetlt in water ; only when they arc there ufed in this manner, they are not called glazing but JVA SHING colours. When colours have no degree of fuch tranlparency in the vehicle in which they are ufed, as vermilion. King's yellow,- and feveral others, they are faid ro HAJ^EA BODTy and TO COVER. The property of glazing or wajhing is of fo much importance, both in oil and water, that no other method can equally well produce the iame effeft in many cafes, either with regard to the force, beauty, or foftnefs of the co- louring: and it is therefore very eflential tb

B3 the

^ Of the Substanp^s

the perfeftipn of feveral kinds of pigments, that they (hould poflfefs this property in % cofn-r plct? degree; but, \n otJicrinftances, the qfing colours witji a ftrongbody is not lefe neceffary^ cfpecially fq: thf grounding or liffyit^ jin, ^s j^ ^ c^Ued, pf many o]y]t&s tp be p^t^.

Jhej:^ is another pat^rial qijfility l^ cplours,, that relates only to their ufe in oil, wjiichis thp <irjuW well and (as it is called) notfattening. By PAfTENjpjG is meant, a coagi^^tion pf t^O oil, that frequently happens on its ^pmmbcturf^ with fev?ral fc nds of pigment^, by the efl^fl: they Jiave upon it j from whence, aft^ j[bme timp Jceeping, it is rendered of fo vi^id or gli^tinovi^ a coi^fiftence, as to b? wholly ii>capabk of Ihp-^ ing worked with cit}i?r bru(Ji oy pencil. This quality, when foqnd ii> them, deftroy^ almc^ wholly the value of fudi pigmef^ts fof thp purpoffes of the colqurmpn ; wh?^ ^U ? gre^t part pf them ground with pll, and tifd up in pieces of bladder, \vhere they arc kept ftU there is ^ demand for them j which fir^qyent- ly do?s not happen foon ; and, t^ierefor^ gives time for their ipoiling in qonfequence of thi? quality. 3ut to painters, who vmjfi the cor lours for thenifelves, on their pallets, with th^ oil, this property is not an eqyal inconve-^ nience, when in a lefler degree ; only, in g^eral, it mufl be obfervcd, that cplpiirs, ia

{)rpportion to their ten4ency tp fatten, are flow n drying ; and when the oil once contrails this flate, it will be a very long time b^|bre it will li^come dqly hard and fi^n in the paiptings.

There

vpw^ IN Paint I NG^. y

There aM- twoother quaMidies of colour in ^M€mtd^ rttate cmlytathdr t^iotor hue; W which render them neverthelcfs fit or impro^ pcr, in a very material dcgrqc^ for different pur- pbfes. They arc diftingmihed by the names of fFjiRMTH^^dCOOLNESS: terms which indeed are. ufed very freq^uently by painters ; but, for the moft part, very indefiinitely, and without any precifc or okv iwamng. What is meant, when properly ufed, by nvarmtbj is that fiery effedb. which a finalt addition of yel- low gjweS; tQ. ^ true red, and that glowing ap- pearance which red impacts to dtber yellow or blue. By warmth^ therefore, in red, is to be underfk)od a fmall inclinat^ towards orange; by the fame term, ^|plicd to y^tUow, a like tendency by the admixture of ircd.s and, by the fame, agaija in. ^ cafe of tJniis, muft he underflood its flightly verging eea the purpfe/'

By coohefsy is to be underftood, the oppo- fite to warmth; but this* t^im^ i$ ielldom u&d, except in fpeaking of yellow and blue ; and there it means, either d>^ n,Qgatipn of that which caufes warmth, ora tcndeucyto green, in cither colour, by a flight adStn&tuf^of the other.

The fenfe of the wor^ wvmtfe, when ap- plied to colouring or the cijinbimd appearance of various teints, mufl not be cpnfound^ with that, which it haa'iiike&^^eakiing of par- ticular colours ; for there it relates to the pro- ducing a (brong effe(9t \j ^. di^ofition or contrdl of the coloitfs^, or Ae greflnefs of the teints, and not the qij,a^^f;^ peculi^il to, or in- hePBnt in the colours themfelves.

B 4 The

8 Of THiD Substances

The colpurs ufed in all the imral kinds of painting, except ibme peouliv to.enamell^ are^ as follow?.

RED.

Class h

^Vermilion. Native cinnabar. Red lead. Scarlet oker. Common Indian red. Spaniih brown. Terra dc fienna burnt.

Carpiine. Lake. Rofe pink* Red oker. Venetian red

Scarlet or tending ^to the prange.

I

Crif/^on 9r tending totbepurpk.

BWS.

Class II.

"Ultramarine. Ultramarine afhes. Pruflian blue. Verdit(tr. < Cendre mve or funders blue* Indico. Smalt* Bice. ^Litmus or lacmus.

Class III. King's yellow. Naples yellow* Yellow oker* Datch pink. Englifh pink« Light pink» Gamboge* fELlOW. <Maflicot.

Common orpiment* Gail ftone.

Terra de iienna unbumt* Turpith mineral. Yellow berry waflu Turmeric wafli. ^Tindurr of faffixm»

C^AIS

USED IN Painting^

jQREEN.

ORANGE.

fURPLE.

Class JV. rVerdigrifc.

\ Diftilledycaidigriib, or duyftajis of verdigrift^ < Pruffian green. I Terra vcrte. CSap green*

Class V. i Orange lake^

Class VI. f True Indian red. ^Archal. ^ Logwood waflu

Class VII. "Brownpink. 6|ffa-e.

Brown oker. fiROWN. '{ Umhrc.

Cologn earth.

Afjphaltum.

Spanifli jmce or extraft of liquorice.

Class VIII. f White flake. White lead. Calcined hartihom. Pearl white. Troy white. ^Egg-fhell white.

JfUJTE.

BLACK.

1

Class IX. Lamp black. Ivory black. Blue black. Indian ink.

Thefe are all the colours at prefcnt in ufe, in this country, in any kind of painting, except iuch as are peculiar to enamel ; in which kind pf painting, as but fc\y of thefe are capable of

combining

i s,IO CXb the. SuaSTAKCEJ

combining with glafs, and enduring the ncccf- iary heat without changing tfaeif nature, or bemg de{lroye4, otWs are employed more fuitable to vitrification : for ^idb rcafon, as the compositions for forming iHsfA «ait«iel colours are very various, and bear oo particular names, and the management of them has ^vejy little relation to other kinds of painting, I fhall omit fpeaking of them till I cojsne ta treat particu- larly of enamel painting*

Of the above enumerated cofeufs, but few are in univerfal ufe ; mbft painters having only a feleft fet out of them, and beitig, in general, unduly prejudiced againft^ tbofe tltiey reject : and fome of the beft of theip^ *5 ftarlet oker, terra de fienna, terra verte, true Indk» red and umbre in oil painting, aijii hift-re and gall ftones ift ^^p ^^m^ng% V9^ «6her through their fcarcity, or the jigijo^wnce which prevails concerning their qualities, at pr^nt very little regarded ; though fbme of tb«m were formerly in common ufe ; and att ef then* ijiight hfi ^ with great advantage to the. ^^

It is no little impediment to tbeiir improve- ^ ment in the profeflion, that, painters are not more extenfively acquainted wi^ aU the fub- ftances fit for their purpofes^ apd more naiavife^ ly informed of the good as ^K^Ui »s the bad qualities of what colours they might ufe : for many-labour under gres^ diiadvantagcs^fei-want pi zixiGSt cppious^ choice, and Ae not bein^ feetter apprirod of feme of tfeofe w^ieh fek Acit own partfetjter manner of w©d^ and

which

^SBO IN Painting. ii

which would, in many cAfes, remove difficiri* ties out of liieir way, 1^ cpabting them to oror duce efFeds l^ more fimple methods, andluch as arc yet more corrci|)ondeAt to their maimer^ diaii thofe they are now obliged to per&ie from their dele^ of proper coIodts.

Asi cdours are obtained from very vanous iilb» ftances, the means qf pireparing tnem are, eon- (equently, very various : Ibroe being of a fim* pie nature, and requiring only to be purified, and wduped to a proper confiAence or texture ; and others being oompophds of different bo^ 4ies, to be formed only by complex and ela* bgratf procefiea. h is therelbre very dij|lcuU ^ g^ve iuch general directions, i^r the making every fort of colour, as {pay be {mettigible to all ) the utenfils to be employed^ as well as the methods to be perfued, being fuch as belong to differenl art^ ^n4 traces : bijt 99 tbc greater part may be 4one jnoft comipodiqufly by ad- opting the rnethods ufed fpr perfbr^ning the ^ommo^ chemical proeeflfes, k Is the moft ex- pedient way to treat of them corro^jjdiently to fuch a vie^y : as, by that means,, any whp may make themfelves acquainted with' Ae com- mon praftice of chemiftry, for whifeh there ar? a number of books that aJffbrd fufficient affift* anee, may eafily underftand the v^rple art of making colours whe^i taught in tl^is manner. For Ae felce, however, of thofc, y^ho m?y vrant leifure or difeofirion to proceed by this method, I will prefix fbqh a d^fcpption of th? ipftrumepts, and explanation of the general

^» nature

12 Of the Substances nature of the operations, as together with the particular direftions given in each procefs, may enable even fuch as are wholly ignorant of chemiftry, if they give a due attention, to get over this difficulty : as indeed, without fuch a previous knowledge of the nature of the in- Uruments and operations, it would be imprac- ticable to attempt to, prepare feveral of the nxoft valuable colours.:

Where, neverthelefe, fimple means j and the ufe of fuch utenlils as are generally known, may be fufficient to perform what is wanted ; I fhall avoid all techniqal terms, and more complex methods of operation ; confining my- iclf to fuch a manner. of inftrudion, as may be univerfally intelligible.

S E C T I O N II.

Of the utenJiU^ inftruments^ &c. fub- • fervient to the making and preparing colours.

THE apparatus or fet of utenfils, 6f^, neceflary for making the feveral co- lours ufed hj painters, confifts of, a furnace for fubliming vermilion-^another for fublim- ing King's yellow— a third for calcining ultra- marine, the coal for Pruffian blue, okers, fi^c— fublimers — a pewter, boiler with its proper furnace — a balneum mariae — filters- boards for drying the pigments— levigating

j^l mills,

%

USED IN Painting* ij

mills, ftones and muUars — with feveral other fmaller implements fubiervient to thefe*

As feveral of thefe implements are in com* mon ufe for other purpofes, and confequently to be had ready made of a proper conftruc- ture, I (hall only enumerate them, without entering on any particular defcription of them: but wim refpeA to that part of the apparatus, which relates to the more fecret arts of making feveral of the colours, and has any thing pecu- liar in its fabrication, I will endeavour to give ludi a concq>tion of the proper figure of every particular, and fuch directions for their con- ftruftion, as ihay enable any to procure them to be made by proper workmen. As, without this previous information of the neceilary means^ of performing them, the giving the recipes or proceffes alone for making the colours would be of very little confequence : and as, by this me- thod, I avoid the neceffity of repeating frequent- ly the inftruiftions for thofe particulars, which when given in a more general way will ferve efFedually for a multiplicity of occafions.

Of furnaces.

The furnaces are of the moft difficult con- ftruftion of any part of the apparatus for making colours ; being moft remote firom common experience and conception : and yet it is indifpenfibly requifite, that they ihould be completely adapted to the purpofe they are intended for. I fhall therefore be moft parti- cular in my direftions concerning them : but,

before

14 Op rnt StJBsrAUctS

bdbre I enter on that tafk, it may bt pftvi^ oufly neceflkry, to teach the manner of inak^ kg a compowim, whkh I fhall have ocaifioii K direct me afe of frequently in my mffaruc-^ tioffi for the building them, at wdi as on Other occaikms. I mean the lute for making good the junifbares that fufFer a great heat, and ftcuring bodies of a tenderer nature from the eiflfe^ of the fire $ which I (hall call here, as is done eUewhere, thc^e-iute: the coinpofi^ don of which is as follows.

« Take of green vitriol, or copperas, any ^^ quantity ; and put it into an earthen pipkin^ •* of which it may fill cHily dirce parts, and ^ fet it on a common fire ; taking care that it " may not boil over} which will be very lia- " ble to happen if the fire bum too briikly* ^ When it has almoft done boiling, throw iti " more of the vitriol, the quantity at firft ** thrown in being now fhrunk and contraft* •^ ed ; and let that alfo boil to drynefs ; and ^ repeat this till the pipkin be near fall of the ** dried matter : raife the fire then round it ; ^* and let it continue in as flrong a heat as can * be conveniently made, till the whole contents •* become of a red dolour ; after which take it '* out of the fife J and, being cold, break the ^* tttpkin, and feparate the calcined vitriol froii* ^ It. Take then of this calcined vitxkl pow^ ** dered two parts, of the fboria or clinkers of n •• fmith's forge, finely levigated,— Sturhridge ^ clay orWindfbr loom dried, and powdered,*-- ^ and fiftc &Ad| each o^ie part : v^^ them well

" togedicrj

vsED IN Painting, 15

*^ together^ and then temper thetx^ with the '' blood of any beaft, till they become of the '^ coniQftence of xsiortar ; a twentieth part of *^ the weight of the whole of ihort hair being <' beaten up with them."

The furnace for vcraiilioii, as well as the G|>eiatxon to be performed in it, are of the moftnice nature of any ot^eds relating to the art of xaaking colours : it is indeed fo difficult a thing to manage well the mamil^ure of ver*^ nuIion,^iat itis given up in general in this coun^ try, even when the price of «[uickfilver would make it very profitable; and the greateft part, if not die whole of t^e confumption, is Supplied fnom Holland : but if any wdil prepare well the apparatus as here dire^ed, and execute properly the procefs given belowi they need not doubt^ with fome experience, but to be able to carry on. this manufa^re as well as the Dutch. The manner of conflru<3;ing the furnace may be as follows.

The firft ftep muft be to procure the proper iron-work, wWch conlifts of bars for bearing the fewelji— ^ frame, — dcx>rs for feeding the fire,— a ftrong plate for fupporting the brick- work over them, — ^an iron frame and ftopper for feeding the fire, — and an iron ring for lay- ing over the top of the furnace, for the better hanging the bodies or fubliming veiTels in it.

The bars fliould be of hammered iron, eight

in number^ eight inches in length, a quarter

of aa indi in breadth, half an inch in depths

and fixed firmly by each end, at the diftaiioe

1 of

i6 Of the SuBSTANCfiS

of a quarter and a half quarter of an inch froiicf each other, into two ftrong crofs^bars ; whidi crofs-bars nmft be fiifficiently long to admit of tfieir fufFering the brickwork to have goodl hold of them j and muft be made flat at their ifinds, on that account.

The frame and door toufl be alfo of ham- mered iron. They muft be of the length of the area or fire-place as formed by tht bars j but need not be more than four inches high. They may be of the ufual form of! thofe made for the furnaces of coppers, but ftronger ; and it is better to have the latch bigger than is common, and carried acrofs the whole door ; which will give it ftrength to refift the weight of the fewel, that, otherwife, when the iron is fbftned by violent heat, is apt to force thd middle part outwards.

The iron bar to lay acrofs the frame of the door may be three inches in breadth ; and at- bout three inches longer than the frame itfelf : it may be either of caft qr hammered iron, as {hall be found moft eafy to be procured.

The frame and ftopper for feeding the fire fhould be alfo of hammered iron : the fi-ame may be four inches long, and three inches high. It may be formed of four plates of a moderate ftrength -, of which thofe of the top and bottom muft flope downv^rards towards the fire in a parallel ; diey muft alfo projed: be- yond their joining vdth the fide plates ; in or- der to their being fixed in the brickwork. The ftopper muft be formed of five plates, put

together

USED IN Painting. 17

. together in fafhion of a box; (as in the doors of portable iron furnaces ;) and of fuch figure and proportion, as to Hide into the hole formed by the frame, and fill it up exadtly, fo as to render that part of the furnace intire, when it is not taken out occafionally to feed or ftir the fire. The hollow of this box or ftopper muft be turned towards the fire ; and filled with fire lute ; and a handle muft be fixed in the middle of the outward part, for the more com- modious ufe of it when hot.

The iron ring for hanging the bodies or fub- Jiming- veflels in the fire muft be made of caft iron. It (hould be of about four inches depths and of a conic form, converging outwards. It ihould have an outward rim, or margin turn- ing ofF from the ring horizontally ; in order to its lying on the brickwork of the furnace. The diameter of the ring muft be in propor- tion to the fize of the fublimers to be hung in it: it fhould be about two inches wider in the tower part than their diameters ; and muft diverge or inlarge itfelf upwards half an inch.

The iron work being thus prepared, and a proper quantity of Windfor bricks, and the loom they are made of, or Sturbridge clay, as well as common bricks, and coal-afli, and cottution mortar, provided, the dimenfions of the furnace muft then be thus fettled.

Take the diameter of die greateft fublimer intended to be worked in it, and add to it two inches to allow for the lute, if any fliould be ufed round it j then add tWenty-two inches, and

C it

i8 Of the Substances

it will give the diameter of the whole area of

the furnace.

The dimenfions of the furnace being dius fettled, the ground plan mdk be made in the following manner.

A round of bricks muft be laid of the dia- meter of the area of the whole febric as fettled above, and the bars muft be laid in the center of it, in their proper pofition ; and a line drawn clofe at the back of the furthermoft crofe-bar> which muft begin a quarter of an inch beyond the infertion of the outermoft of the long bars on one fide, and extend to a quarter of an inch beyond the outermoft bar on the odier fide. From the extremity of diis line, two others muft be drawn, parallel to the fides of the outermoft bars, and extended to the circular line which njarks the area of the whole fiE^bric» The ground'plan being fo marked, a cylinder jof brickwork muft be raifed in this circle leaving a hollow fquare within the lines formed as above for the area of the fire-place and afh- hole. This cylinder muft be carried up about eight inches 5 and may be built of common bricks and coal-afti mortar : but they muft be laid iblid, that the whole mafs may not fhrinlc when fubjedted to a great heat. When this cylinder of brickwork is raifed, the bars of the fire place muft be laid over the innermoft part of the vacuity left for the afti-hole ; and the door, with its frame, muft be alfo placed in their proper pofition, in the front of the bars : which will not be, in this manner of

con-

tJsEb lU pAiUttud. ig

ediiiftnidUon, on a level with the exterior fur-* fece or front of the furnace, as in thofe of the common kind, but dnly half the length of the bars from the center of the whole fiimaces* The brickwork muft be then again carried up fix inches higher, in the fame manner as be- fore $ oAly it muft be made to take proper hold both of the crofs-bars of the fire-grate and the fiame of the door : but, in this part of the fa- bric, the courfes next the fire fliould be of Windfor bricks ; and laid in Windfor loom, ot Sturbfidge clay.

The febric bemg raifed to this heigjit, the iron plate prepared for that purpdfe muft be laid over the opening of the brickwork, from the top of the door fi^me to the exterior fur- lace of the fabrick : that the brickwork may be carried intirely roiind above : and the cylin- der of brick muft be again proceeded with as before ; only it muft be now continued intirely round, forming only an area in the middle } which muft be made floping from that which is to hold the fewel j and muft inlarge itfelf in fuch manner* that, in raifing the furnace eight inches higher, the diameter of the cavity may be equal to the diameter of the fubliming vef- fel, with the addition of fix inches, to allow for the fpace in whkh the fire muft come itound it on each fide.

In the laft courfp of bricks which raife the fabric to this height, the whole muft be left for fixing the frame that is to form the opening for feeding the fire ; whkh muft be acfcprd-

C 2 ingly

20 Of the Substances

ingly placed in it, in fuch manner, that the Hope formed by the upper plates, which compofe it, may incline towards the fire. The proper fi- tuation for this hole is in the front of the fur- nace, over the opening leading to the door of the afh-hole.

From this height the brickwork muft be carried up, forming a hollow cylinder, fox; four inches more 5 when a courfe of bricks, of which the inner ends are cut floping, muft be laid fo as to contrad: the circle of brickwork to the diameter of the iron ring for fupporting the fublimer ; which muft be then let into this opening left at the top of the furnace, and fixed with fire-lute ; the bricks furrounding it being well pointed with the fame. This part of the. furnace, from the fire-place to the top, fliould be intirely built. of Windfor bricks, laid with Windfor loom or Sturbridge clay.

In the laft courfe of bricks muft be left an opening of four inches length, for venting the fmoke into the chimney: over which opening, an iron plate muft be laid, and carefully pointed with fire-lute ; that the air may have no accels to fpoil the draught. The chimney may be a- bout fixteen or eighteen feet high; and the hollow about fix inches fquare, or of an area e- qual to that; and need not be built of a greater thicknefs of bricks than is neceffary jin order to its fupporting itfelf.

' The furnace for fubliming King's yellow;, muft have a fend-pot ; as the heat of the naked fire would be too great; This pot may .2 ^ be

I

USED IN Painting, 21

be of a greater or lefs fize, according to the quantity of the King's yellow prcpofed to be made-: but, where there is no particular con- venience in varying from it, the ordinary fize will be found moft commodious.

The fand-pot being procured, as likewife the reft of the iron work, according to the pre- ceding directions given for the furnace for ver- milion, except the iron ring for the top of the furnace, which in this cafe muft be changed for a flat rim of caft iron of four inches breadth,' with a groove to receive the pot, and fupport it hanging in the furnace, the plan of the fur- nace muft be made out in the following man- ner. The diameter of the pot being firft taken, fix inches muft be added to it, for the cavity to admit the fire to come round the pot, and the length of two bricks to allow for the thicknefs of the fides of the furnace : thefe being put together give the diameter of the whole furnace. To find the due height, the depth of the pot muft be firft taken ; to which muft be added ten inches for the diftance be- twixt the pot and the bars 5 eight inches for the diftance of the bars from the ground, with the height of a brick, for a courfe that muft be carried round the edge of the pot; which, being all put together, give the height. The build- ing may be then carried on, in the fame man- ner as was before advifed for the furnace for Vemiilion, till all be completed but the laft courfe ; and the rim muft be then laid on the top of the brickwork, and well pointed with ". C 3 fircf

22 Of the Substancei

fire-Iutc : after which, whenthefe partp oft furnace are fo dried as to hold well togeth the pot fhould be let down into the furna^ where it will hang by its margin or turn edge, refting on the groove made for it in t iron rim : and another courfe of bricks m^ then be raifed, in a continued line with t fides of the fand-pot, that part of them whi touches the pot being laid in fire-lute.

The furnace for calcining the Pruffian bl oker, ultramarine, CSc. may be conflxudled the following manner. Firft prepare a fet bars, which may be a foot in length, and i teen in number, with a ftrong frame and d< pf which the breadth muft equal that of 1 bars, and the height be a foot, as alfo a pla or two ftrong flat bars, to fupport the brie w^ork over the door frame, and another fupport the brickwork oyer the afh-hole. foundation or pedeftal of bricks muft then raifed, about three feet and a half high, a two feet four inches fquare 3 which may done with common bricks and mortar s a need only, indeed, be four walls j the hoili formed by which may be filled up with n bifti, and floored over with bricks or tiles, i this pedeftal, raife three other walls 5 one each fide, and one at the furthermoft end, the whole brick thicknefs, forming an area 1 uvixt them, of the length of a foot, and the breadtli of ten inches 5 of which area t frcmt will neceflarily be open fi-om the dcfa pf ^p fourth wall. Over this opening, m 1

firo

USED IN Painting. 23

front, lay the bars In the center of tl>e brick- work; and place ak)ng with them a plate^ that will reach from dieir edge to the extremity of the furnace, to bear the brickwork which muft lie over that part of the hollow. Then carry up the fides as before, but with four walls in- flead of three, to inclofe th^ area of the fire- place intirely 5 taking care, that the firft courfc have good hold of the flat ends of the crofs- bars.

This part muft rife eight inches above the bars : and then the door and frame muft be fixed*, and the other fides carried up as before.

When the building is carried to the height of the door and frame, the ftrong plate muft be laid to bear the brickwork over it : and the hollow muft then be made to converge, till it become fo narrow as to form a chimney : of which the area of the cavity may be fix inches fquare ; or it may be turned into a funnel, or flew, to communicate with any other chimney, if fuch there be fufficiently near. But, as the wind-furnace demands a very confiderable draught, if the flew be made from it into the chimney of any other furnace, which may not happen to be at work when there is occafion to ufb this, care muft be taken to ftop the chinmey of the other furnace, below the ad*.- oasBion of this flew into it, to prevent a falfe drmight which would otherwife intirely de- . ftroy its eflfeds on the wind-fiirnace : and for this end, regifters fhould be always put to the ' dfSW^fX chimneys below where the flews enter, ■-.•; .\- ; ' " ' C 4 of

24 Of THE Substances

of each furnace, whenever two or more vent

themfelves into the fame common funnel.

Sublimers muft be of glafs, and may be generally had ready made of a proper figure at the glafs-houfes, where glaffes are blown for the common chemical purpofes. They muft be inquired for under the name of bodiesy or cucurbits ; which name they bear when ap- plied to medicinal ufes. They (hould be cho- fen of a fpheroidal form ; neither the coni- cal fhape in which fome, nor the oval in which others are made, being fo commodious for fub- liming colours, as a longifh fpheroid : but, where they cannot be obtained of this figure, an oval may be difpenfed with.

The magnitude of the fublimers muft be determined by the quantity of matter to be fubiimed ; and the dimenfions of the furnace : but thofe ufed in fand-pots ftiould be always at leaft two inches lefs in the diameter than the pot in which they are to be placed : and thofe ufed in the naked fire fhould never be more than four inches lefs in diameter than the iron ring of the fiirnace in which they are to be hung.

Where vemiilion is made in great quanti- ties, earthen fublimers arc ufed ; but we fhall (peak of them in their proper place.

A pewter boiler is nccefTary for boiling co- chineal, brazil or other woods, French ber- ries, Gfc, for making lake, brown pink, Pruflian blue, and many orficr pigments. It is rcqui- fitc tliat tliis metal fiiould be ufed for it, be-

caufe

USED IN Paint I NO. 25

<^ufc iron and copper, as they will neceffarily be corroded in a greater or lefs degree by the faline fubftances requifite to be ufed for making leveral forts, are extremely injurious to the co- lours ; and fliould, therefore, never be fufFered to approach the finer kinds.

The form of this boiler may be cylindripal, with a bottom making a fedion of a foherc. Its dimenfions may be three feet in depth, and one diameter : but this may be varied, as the quantities of colours propofed to be made may vary the occafion. At the height of about two feet, muft be joined to it, a ftrone margin or rim, by which it may be hung in the furnace 5 and a little above, muft be two bow handles oppofitc to each other, by which it may be lifted in and out of the furnace. The whole muft be wrought ftrong ; as there mil be fre- quent occafion to move it, when containing a confiderable quantity of fluid.

The furnace for this boiler muft be con- ftruded in the following manner.

A rim of iron, fuch as was before diredled to be ufed for hanging the fand-pot, together with the other iron-work, muft be firft procured^ The diameter of the boiler being taken, as alfo its depth below the rim by which it is to hang, the proceeding in the fabrication may be the fame as that of the furnace for the fand-pot, till the iron rim is to be fixed ; when the courfe of bricks, which is raifed upon the rim in that kind of fijirnace, muft be in this wholly omitted. It is not improper, however, to allow two inches

more

28 Of THE Substances bloom or filtering paper : but care muft be taken in the dloice of it ; for it is difficult to find, in common ftationers fhops, fiich as will even moderately well anfwer the end.

For coarfe colours, fuch as rofe pink, flan- nel bags may be employed, for expedition* They mould be made in the form of pudding bags ; and are called, when applied to this pur- pose in medicine, Hippocrates's fleeve. They ihould have proper fi-ames for fixing them ; which may be made of three flicks or wooden ix)ds, fixed together at fuch a diftance, that the bag, being hung upon them by three loops j^ned to it, may have its mouth or opening fiibtended to a due width for pouring in the matter to be filtered.

Long boards muft be likewife provided for drying colours. They fliould be made of found wood J and very well plained, and it will be yet better, if the furface be made ftill fmoother, by varnifhing them with feed lac.

Chalk-ftones are alfo proper on fome occa- 6ons, for expedition, for the drying ultrama- rine, Pruffian blue, waflied okers, and feveral other kinds : but they muft never be ufed for lake, carmine, or any colours made of vegeta- ble matter ; for their alkaline quality of chalk may \be very detrimental to fuch colours. Where Pruffian blue is made in very great quantities, there is a particular apparatus ufed for drying it : but we (hall fpeak of that in its proper place.

The

trsED IN Painting.' zg

The levig^tion of colours, being of the moft general ufe of any operation, is likewife re- quired in many cafes to be moft perfedly per* £oraied; and, therefore, proper inffanments fubiervient to it are extremely requliite. Hand* inills, and ibmetimes even horfe-mills, are u(ed for grofler forts of pigments, or where very large quantities are to be diipatched : but, as they are to be had of the proper workmen, iluly conflm^fled, it is nereis to defcrlbe them here. The muUer and ftone are gene«»^. rally ufeful; and ihould alone be depended on, at leaft for conipleting the levigation after the grinding them in the mills, whenever the co- lours are of any greater, value or nicer ufe, Bafons jQiould likewife be provided for wafh- ing over the colours according to the manner below defcribed.

SECTION IIL

Of the general operations fuhfervtent to the making or preparing colours.

THE operations fubfervient to the making and preparing colours are fublimation,— calcination, — folution, — precipitation, — filtra- tion,— and levigation.

As the pradice of moft of thcfe operations is confined at prefent, in a great degree, to the purpofes of chemiftry j and therefore, very little

under-

3© Of tni SlTBSTANCtS

tti!Kferftcod by any, except thofe who concerff ifeemfelves in thit art, 1 fliall endcjlvour to ex- plain them, as far as diey relate to the prepair a^ ^ofi and treatment of colours 5 and to give foch general direflions for Ae performng mem^ m iftiay take away the iiieceffity of repeating^ oft et^ety occafion, Aofe particulars, which oc6ur iA tflmoft all the ptocefles that partake of the feme nature : but with refped to fuch opera^ tions, a^ are mote commonly known and prac* tiled, I (hall only touch on them, in a more general way, without entering into minuter confiderafions regarding dienk

Of fublimation.

Sublimation is the raifing folid bodies im fumes, by means of heat : which fiimes ard afterwards collected by condenfation, either in die upper part of the fame vefTel where they are raifed, or in others properly adapted to it for that purpofe.

The endof fublimationis, either tofeparatc fubftances from each other in order to the pu- rification of one of diem, or to mix them more perfedlly than can be effedted, without fub- jedting them to fuch a of degree heat as will neceflarily render them volatile.

The means are, to put die matt^, whether fimple or compound, into a proper veffel or fublimer, and there give it a due heat, by placing it in a fand-pot, or the cavity of fome furnace where the naked fire is required : in

doing

USED IN Painting. 31

ddng which the following particulars arc the moft material obje&s of attention.

The firft care muft be to provide glafleS of Ac kind above mentioned, p. 24, and of a due fize, which muft be regulated as was before mentioned by the quantity of matter to be fub- limed, and by the dimenfions of the fand-pot, or cavity of the furnace where they are to be ufed.

The fublimer ufed for making King's yellow, or for any other operation to be performed in a &nd-pot, need no previous preparation. But thofe to be ufed for vermilion, which muft be placed in the naked fire, fhould be firft well coated with the fire-lute -, and a rim of the lame matter muft be worked round the coat at about two thirds of the height of the fiiWimer, to fupport it in the iron ring when let down in-- to the cavity of the furnace. This coat of lute ihould be laid on of fuch thicknefs, that it may be about half an inch thick when thoroughly dry: and, if it be laid on at feveral diftances of time, fo that the firft covering of the glafs may be pretty dry before the fecond be put on, it will be the better ; but great care (hould be taken, diat the whole be of fufficient drynefs before the fublimer be let down into the furnace ; and that the rim of lute fit well the iron rim ; for otherwife ill fuccefs will moft likely attend die procefs of the operation. In default of the fire-lute the following may be fubftituted in its place, for the coating fublimers ; and is indeed, on account of its cheapnefs, moft cQ/nmonly

ufed 5

32 Of THE Substances

cfcd ; though greatly inferior to the other with

rcfpedl to the fecurity of the glafles.

" Take of Windfor loom, or, if very good, *^ common loom, finefand, and dung of horfes :** which feed on hay, each equal parts. Tem* " per them, with water, or the blood of any f^ beaft ; and beat them well together*"

In fixing the fublimers in the fand-pots, an inch and half, or two inches of fand, muft be firft put into the pot ; on which the fublimpr mull be gently fet. The pot muft then be filled with fend up to the brim -, and the matter to jbe.fublimed muft be put into J the. fublimer, through its neck or mouth ; which muft be afterwards covered by a piece of tile, or flat glafs, laid loofely upon it.

The fublimers ufed without a land-pot muft be fixed, in the cavity of the furnace, by let- ting them through the ring of iron on the top of die furnace, till they hang by the rim of lute. After which the joint formed by the rim and ring muft be made good by pointing with; the fire-lute; which muft, however, be of dryilh confiftence ; and ufed fparingly, left it moiften the lute of which the rim is made, and, caufing it to give way, occafion the fublimer to flip through, and fall into the furnace.

The fublimers being fixed the fire muft be lighted 5 but muft be kept in a moderate de- gree till the lute be thoroughly baked ; when, being increafed, the matter will rife in fumes; and form itfelf, in a cake, on the upper part of -the glals : and this may be urged forwards by ^ raifing

USED IN Painting. 33

f alfing the fire, as fltohgly as it will bear to be ^thout forcing the fumes out of the mouth of the fublimer : which, if it appear to happen, muft be remedied as quickly as poflible by a- bating the heat ; but proper care muft be taken, tfiat the mouth of the glafs or fublimer be not choaked up by the fubliming matter; for which reafon, the tile, or piece of glafs, which covers it, fliould be lifted up at proper intervals, and an opening made, with the end of a tobacco- pipe, into the cavity of the fublimer. On the negleft of this caution, theglaffes are very lia- ble to be burft, by the rarefaction of the fumes, on the fires burning briikly. When no more fumes arifei which may be known by the a- batement of the heat in the upper part of the fublimer notwithftanding the. fire be equally ftrong, the operation may be concluded to be Completed ; and^ the furnace being fuffered to cool, the fublimer muft be taken out, and broken ; and the cake of fublimed matter in the upper part of the glafs collefted : obferving carefully, that it be kept free from the drofs or caput mortuum left in the bottom.

Of calcination.

Calcination is the operating on fubftancee, by means of heat, fo as to produce fome change either in their texture or colour.

Calcination is fometimes performed, by ex- pofing fubftances to the fire with as great ex- tent of futface as poflible : as in the cafe of D lead

34 Of the Substances

. lead for converting it into the red lead ox mi- nium, and antimony to prepare it for its con- verfion into glafs : in other cafes, it is per- formed, by putting the fubllances into a cru- cible, or other fuch veflel, in a more colle<5lcd body; and furrounding the veiTel with fire : and there is a cafe indeed, viz. that of the . malVicot, where bringing it near the fire will be fufficient.

The red lead, red oker, and antimony fdt . making the glafs, being calcined in large quan* tities by thole, who make it their fole bufi^ nefs, and have large furnaces like ovens con- flruded for thefe particular purpofes, I fhall be lefs explicit with regard to them ; as it will be fcarcely worth while for any, but thofe who carry it on as a grofs manufafture, to concern themfelves with them, unlefs as a fpeculative experiment.

The calcinatien of other fubftances for the preparation of colours may be performed, by putting the matter into a crucible, and placing it in a conimon fire; or, where greater heat or room is required, in the wind-furnace defciib- ed p. 22 where the fire muft be raifed round it; and continued of fuch a degree, and for fuch a duration, as the occslfion may make necefiTary. This may be underftood to be all that is re- quifite, where calcination is ordered, in the procefies below given, without any particular direftion for the manner of performing it : but where fuch direftlon is needful, it will be found to be inferted as each occafion occurs.

Of

USED IN Painting. 35^

Offolution.

By folution is meant, the reducing any iblid body to a liquid ftate by means of another, into which, being put, it is melted or converted itfelf alfo into a ftate of fluidity.

This is performed, by the (imply putting one body to the other and mixing them well toge- ther, except in fome cafes, where heat is neceP fary to expedite the efFed.

When therefore bodies are ordered, in the procefTes below given, to be diffolved in others, it is only to be Underftood, that they are to be put together, and ftirred, or fliaken, at proper intervals, till the folid body be melted : and where that appears to proceed too flowly, the veflfei muft be put into a proper heat to ac- celerate the operation : but this heat fhould be always underftood to be lefs than will make water boil, except where the contrary be exprefsly direfted.

Of precipitation.

Precipitation is the re-feparating a folid body, from any fluid one in which it is diflblved or melted, by the addition of a third body, which is capable of producing that effed:. As, for example, if fced-lac be diflfdlved in fpirit of wine, and water be added, tlie feed-lac will be precipitated, that is feparated from the fpirit in which it was diflblved, and reduced to the D 2 ftate

i^t> Ofthe Substances

ftate of an impalpable powder, which will fub- fide to the bottom of the veflel containing, the mixture.

- The means of precipitation are ^therefore equally fimple with thc^e of folution : there being nothing more required, than to put the matter, which is to fufFer the precipitation, into a proper veflel' j and to add that which is to caufe it ; and when the efFeft is produced, to feparate the fluid from the folid body precipitated, by pouring off" what can be fo parted from it j and draining off the refl: in a filter.

Of filtration.

Filtration, though a very fimplc operation yet when it is required to be done through pa- per, and great quantities of fluid arc to be fil- tered, demands fome nicety and judgment in the management of it j otherwife accidents arc very liable to happen, which retard greatly the work; and occafion frequently great delay and trouble \ efpecially with thofe who are unprac- tifed in it.

As the end of filtration is of two kinds, the one .to free fluids fi"om any folid bodies of a feculent nature with which they are niixed, the other to feparate any precipitated powder, or other folid body, from fuperfluous fluid, the means muft be varied. In the firfl: cafe, pa- per, if it be of a right kind, is fufiicient ; in th« other cafe, a coarfe linnen cloth mufl: be put

over

USED IN Painting. 37

over the paper ; otherwifc, in taking the fil- tered matter out of it, parts of the paper will unavoidably mix themfelvcs with it, and irre- mediably foul it.

Where filtering through paper is neceflary, the pewter cullenders defcribed p.24* will be found ejrtremely commodious : but great care muft be taken to accommodate rightly the paper to the cullender, as well as to pour the matter very flowly into it at firft, till it be well fettled, for on negleft of this caution, the paper will be very apt to burft; and delay the operation, by fouling the veflels with the unfiltercd matter. If, as fi-equently happens, the paper, which is prqcured, prove of a bad texture, and want tenacity to bear the weight of the fluid poured into it, or when the fluid itfelf may be of a very relaxing nature, and weaken the paper, a coarfe linnen cloth fliould be always ufed with the paper, what- ever the intention of the filtering may be. For, though the fluid will pafs fafter through paper alone, yet much time will be faved from adding the linnen, by preventing the trou* Uefome accidents that will elfe unavoidably occur.

In filtering large quantities, it will be fre- ijuendy found, that,' after the paper has been for fome time foaked in die wet, the operation will proceed very flowly ; the fwelling of the fubftance of the paper, as well as the foulnefs of the fluid, diminifliing, and at laft: choaking up, the percolating pores of the paper. When

D3 this

I

38 Of the Substances

this is the cafe, the paper fhould be always changed as foon it is perceived, that the filter ceafes to run moderately : for, otherwife, the operation becomes intolerably tedious.

Where great quantities of more ordinary colours ^re made, fuch as rofe pink, the kind of Pruffian blue ufed for paper-hangings, or other fuch grofTer kinds, the flannel bags men- tioned p. 28 may be ufed ; as the filtering fuch great quantities of fluid through paper would be an almofl; endlefs labour. In doing this, nothing more is required than to han^ the bags on the frames by their loops ; and to feed them with the matter to be filtered : only die firfl: quantity which runs through; being apt to be foul, muft be returned into the bag, till it be perceived that the fluid come clear. '

Of evapcration.

Evaporation, or the reducing moift bodies <irynefs by an artificial heat, where it is not re- quired to be in balneo mariae, may be performed by boiling in any commodious veflfel, till the matter he freed from all humidity ; the veflfel l)eing fed with a freih fupply as the fluid ap- pears to be diminifhed : but in the cafe of ve- getable or animal fubftances, where they are to be evaporated to drynefs, or a thick confift- cnce, as in the artificial gall-ftones, lake or brown pink, it ought to be performed in bal- nco mariae J that is, by putting the vcflel con- V .;: taining

usedinPaintin6.' 39

taining the matter into another filled with wa- ter, and kept of aboiling heat : for, by this means, the fubftances are prevented from burn- ing to the veffel as they grow dry j which would otherwife unavoidably happen.

The evaporation in balneo maria^ may be commodioufly performed in the veffels.I have defcribed p. 27, by fixing the tin boiler in tht furnace, and hanging the pewter veffel in it by the rim; the remaining cavity of the tin boiler, being filled with water, and made to boil till the matter be brought to a proper drynefs or confiftence. - This is all that is requifite where the quantity of matter remaining after the eva- poration is large ; but, where it is fmall it is better to ufe fome fmaller veflfel ; as it would be fo diifufed on the fides and bottom of the pewter one as would render it difficult to be colledied. The beft expedient for this, is td ufe a China bafon of a proper fize 3 and to bang it, by packthread, to two fticks laid a- crofs the edge of the boiler, and fixed, at a proper difliance from each other, by two other fticks tyed to them croflfway : by which little machine, the bafon may be fufpended in the boiling water ; and, being fed with the fluid to be evaporated as prdper room appears in it for a frefh fupply, will perform the ofiice ex- tremely well. But where the quantity of fluid to be evaporated is great, though the remain- ing matter when dry be fmall, a previous eva- poration, by the naked fire, may be ufed till the quantity be properly reduced i taking care, D 4 ter

40 Of the Substances

that the matter do not acquire fb thick a con^ iiftence, as may fubjeft it to bum to the fides or bottom of the boiler.

Of levigation^ andwajhing wer^

Levigation of colours, where great quanti» ties are irt queftion, is performed in hand and horfe-mills : but this fails to produce &> per- fedt an effed:, as the muUer and ftone, which is ufed in all other cafes : the afliftance of ^ peftle and nK)rtar being indeed taken in the cafe of glafs, and bird bodies, to prepare thenj for the mills or ftone.

The niethpd of ufing thefe feveral kinds of inftruments, as well as the conftrufture of the inftmments themfelves, are fo well known, that it is needlefs to dwell on any particulars regarding them : but the other method fubfer- vient to the intention of levigation, (that is to fay to the reducing pigments to a due degree pf finenefs as powders) called tvajhing over^ being lefs generally underftood, and yet of the grcateft utility for procuring many colours in file moft perfed: ftate, I will explain fully the manner of performing it ; which is as follows.

^^ The matter intended to be brought, by f^ this operation, to an impalpable finenefs, f ' being firft well levigated, or, if it be a body f * of a chalky texture as the okers, broken to f^ a grofs powder by pounding, let it be put {^ into a deep bafon almoft full of very clean

y water s

USBB IN PaiNTIK^. 4|

^f water 5 and there well ftirred about: then, f^ having refted a fhort time, that the groGef ^* parts may fink to the bottom, let the water^ ** together with the finer parts yet fiifpended ** in it, *be poured oflf into another bafon of ^' the fame kind ; and fuflfered to ftand at reft ^' till the powder has totally fubfided, and left " the water elear. Let as much of this wa- ^* ter, as can without difturbing the fediment, " be then poured back into the firft bafon -, and ^* let the.flirrihg, decantation, &c.hQ repeated ♦* as before, as often as fhall be found necef- ^' fary to feparate all the powder tliat is of fuf-: *' ficient finenefs. The remaining groflfer part '* may be then again ground ; and the fame f* treatment continuedj till the whole of the •* matter be obtained in that ftate. This opera* ^* tion is, however, in fome cafes, to be re- ^* peated feveral times before the colour can .^* be rendered fo perfeftly fine as may be ^^ wiflied : but when it is duly executed, pig- ments may be reduced to the mofl: impal- pable powders, with great eafe, even though, like vermilion, of the moft obdurate tex- ^* ture : and the okers, or any fuch bidies of ^* a chalky or clayey texture, which grow foft ^* in water, maybe freed from fand, ftones, or ^* other impurities, and rendered of the higheft " degree of finenefs, even without any previ- -^•* ous grinding. Where great quantities of " matter are to be waflied over, as in the cafe ♦^ of okers, common Indian red, &c. tubs muft ^f be had to fupply the place of balbns ; and

^* lading

(C

42 Of the Substances

" lading with a bowl-difli muft he ufed inftead

" of decapitation or pouring ofF." .

SECTION IV.

Of the nature and preparation of par-- tkular colours^

Class 1. Of red colours.

Of vermilion.

VE R M I L I O N is a bright fcarlet pig- ment, formed of common fulphur and quickfilver, by a chemical procefs : it is one of the moft ufeful colours in every kind of paint- ing; except enamel or glafs; as it is of mode- rate price, fpends to great advantage in any kind of vsrork, and flands or holds its colour extremely well. It may be prepared in great perfection by the following procefs.

" Take of quickfilver eighteen pounds, of *' flowf rs of fulphur fix pounds : melt the ful- *^ phur in an earthen pot ; and pour in the *' quickfilver gradually, being alfo gently *^ warmed ; and ftir them well together, with •' the fmall end of a tobacco-pipe : but, if *' from the effervefcence, on adding the lat- " ter quantities of the quickfilver, they take " fire, extinguifti it by throwing a wet cloth *^ (which fhould be had ready) over the vef*

" fel.

USED IN Painting.' 43

fel. When the mafs is cold, powder it,: fo that the feveral parts may be well mixed to- gether ; but it is not neceffary to reduce it by nicer levigation, to an impalpable ftate s having then prepared an oblong glafs body, or fublimer, by coating it well with fire-lute over the whole furface of the glafs, and work^ ing a proper rim of the fame round it, by which it may be hung in the furnace- in fiicn. a manner that one half of it may be expofed to the fire in the cavity of it, fix it in a pro- per furnace ; and let the powdered mafs be put into it, fo as to nearly fill the part that is within the furnace : and, apieceof brokcni tile being laid over the mouth of the glafs, fublime then the contents, with as ftrong a heat as may be ufed without blowing, die fumes of the vermilion out of the mouth of ( the fubb'mer. When the fublimation is over, which may be perceived by the abatement of the heat towards the top of the body, difcontinue the fire ; and, when the body is cold, take it out of the furnace ; and break it : and, having colledled all the parts of the fublimed cake, feparating from them any drofs that may have been left at the bottom of the body, as alfo any lighter fubftance than may'have formed in the neck, and ap- pears to be diffimilar to the reft, levigate the ♦* more perfcdt part ; and, when reduced to a ** fine powder, it will be vermilion proper fi^r '' ufe.

Where

C(

cc

44 Of THE Substances

Where great quantities of vermilion are manufadured, it is a pradtice, for the fake of chcapncfs, and to fave the labour of coating, \*ith fo much care, glafs fublimers with lute, to have earthen ones made of the fame fort of day as that employed for long necks. When this is done, thefe fublimers fhould be of a i^eroidal figure, and about an inch lefs in their kaft diameter than the ring of the fur- nace in which they are to be hung -, they mufl: alio have a rim worked at about two thirds of tills height, of the fame matter they are made of, by which tihey may hang in the iron ring, ^s the glafs fublimers, by means of the rim of lute. It is much the beft way, however, to give them a cpatof good common loom, fand and horfe dung.

The perfection of vermilion is to be of a very bright colour, and of a great degree of finenefs, and that is moft efteemed, which moft inclines ta a crimfon hue: thefe appear- ances, befidps the rendering it more advan- tageous for the purpofes to which it is em- ployed in painting, are the readieft proofs of its being unfophifticate.

Vermilion, when pure, will ftand for any length of time, whatever vehicle it be ufed with ; and may, therefore, be depended up- on, for carnations, or the niceft purpofes.

It is very ufual, I might almoft fay general, for dealers to ibphifticate vermilion with red lead : which renders it very liable to change, and lofe its brightnefs; as the red lead is apt to turn black, whether ufed with oil, or water.

This

. U S E D I N P A 1 N T I N G. 45

This adulteration, when made m a greater de- . gree, may be perceived by the difference in colour betwixt the fophiflicated and pure ; for the red lead, being confiderably more of th« ^orange hue than die vermilion, renders it \c& crimfon. But to deted the fraud of mixing red lead with the vermilion with certainty, both with refpeft to the general fad:, and the pro- portion, the following means may be ufed.

" Take a fmall, but known quantity of the

" vermilion fufpe<fted to be adulterated, and

" put it into a crucible ; having firft mixt

" vnth it about the fame quantity, in bulk, of

" charcoal duft : put the crucible into a com-

" mon fire, having firft covered it with a IdTer

" crucible inverted into it ; and give a heat fuf-

, " ficient to fufe lead ; when the crucible, be*-

" ing taken out of the fire,, fliould be well

" fliaken, by ftriking it againft the ground. If

" the fufpedled adulteration have been pradtifed,

*' the lead will be found reduced to its metal-

" Une flate, in the bottom of the crucible ; and»

" being weighed, and compared with thp

" quantity of cinnabar that was put into, the

" crucible, the proportion of the adulteralioa

" may be thence certainly known : but, if no

" lead be found in the crucible, it may be fafely

" inferred, that no red lead had been commix*

" with the cmnabar."

It is very neceffary, that vermilion (hould be extremely well levigated : as it both contri- butes to its brightnefs and fpending further in the work : and this can fcarcely be effe<ftuated I by

46 -Of the SUfiSTAKCES

by mills without the fubfcqUent ufe of the inullaf and ftene; though it has been ufual for preparers to pafs it ofFas it comes out of the mill ; but who- ever would have vermilion in perfedion, efpeci- ally for painting carnations or mixing with white, ihould improve its finenefs by wafhing over.

Of native cinnabar.

Nadve cinnabar is a pigment compounded of quickfilver and fulphur 5 and therefore dif- fers in nothing from vermilion but in the man- ner of its production, and the being fomctimes df a more crimfon colour. It is found na- turally formed in the earth in many places; but feldom fo pure as to be fit for the ufes of painting, at leaft without being purified by iiiblimation ; which operation, being probably not well known to thofe who have any concern in the finding it, has not been hitherto pradlifed, ^ far as appears. On this account native cin- nabar has as yet been fcarce and dear : a great part of what has been fold as fuch, having been faftitious : but the crimfon colour of fome quantities, and the miftaken notion that it would ftand better than vermilion, hseaufe it was a natural produ6lion,have made it to be co- veted by painters who are curious in colours. It is however never worth their while to be folli- citous about it , as it feldom excels the beft vermilion in brightnefs ; and as that may be likewife rendered equally crimfon, if the pro* portion of fulphur be made only as one to fix

or

usedinPainting* 47

or feven of the quickfilver : and as, if there regally was any fuperiority, with regard to ftandipg, in the native cinnabar over Ae o- ther, they never could be certain of havii^ it genuine.

When native cinnabar is ufed as a cdour, there is no other preparation neceflary than a careful levigation -, which may be bed per- formed, . with water, on the ftone : but who- ever would have, it in the moft perfed: ftatc muft fuperadd wafhing over to the grinding. It has been ufual to wafli this colour as well as vermilion in urine, juice of lemon, 'and other fluid fubflances,^ but there is not the leaft alteration to be made in it, by any fiich means, if it be pure, for the reafon before given with refpe<5t to vermilion.

Of red lead or minium.

Red lead is lead calcined, till it acquire a proper degree of colour, by expofing it with a large furface to the fire.

The bright orange colour of red lead might Tender it valuable in painting, if it would ftand with certainty in either oil or water : but it is fo fubjeft to turn black when ufed with oil, and even fometimes with water, that it is by no means fit to be trufted either alone or mixed with any other colours where the Handing well is of confequence; except in hard varniflies, in- deed, which, locking up the pigments from the air and moifture, renders their colour durable in

almoft

4^ Of THE^fiuBSf ances

almofl all ihftances. For this reafon red lead is feldom now employed iii oil, nor very fre- quently in watery but for very grofs purpofcs, or io make a ground for vermilion; w^hich being flightly fpread upon it will go much- farther than on any other ground : but even this is not advifable where it is defired the colour fliould ftand for a long time.

The goodnefs of red lead liiay be diftiii- guiihed by the brightnefs of its colour ; for whatever it is adulterated with will of courft diminiih it :.and it is on this account, not fo Ikble to be fophifHcated, as white lead, ver-^ milion, and fomc other pigments. The a^ dulteration, however, where any is fufpeft- cd, may be eafily deteded by the following means.

" Put an ounce of what is fulpefted into a *^ cracible, with an equal bulk of charcoal " duft; mixing them well together. Place ** the crucible in a common fire fufficiently " hot to melt lead ; covering it with another *' fmaller crucible inverted into it. Continued ^^ it in the fire for fomc time ; and then take '^ it out ; and ftrike it againfl the ground. " The red lead will then be reduced to its me- " tallic ftate; and, being poured out, and firecd " from the charcoal duft, may be weighed ^* when cold and will fhew by its deficient*

the proportion of adulterating matter/'

Oj

c«

USED 1 N P A I N T I N G. 49

Of fcarkt okcr.

Scarlet oker, is the ochrous earth, or rather iron, which is the bafis of green vitriol, feparated from the acid of the vitriol, by calcination. It is of a broken orange fcarlet colour: but, for its great certainty of ftanding, in which it equals any of the native okers, and its extreme great ftrength and warmth either as a ground or in thq {hades of carnations, it is neverthclefs very valuable. It may be ufed as a colour in any kjnd of painting; (but in enamel it turns to a tran- fparent yellow like brown pink, if the flux DC ftrong) 2 and is eafily prepared in the fol- lowing manner*

. " Take, of green vitriol or copperas, any

" quantity : and being put into a crucible, of

" which it will fill two thirds, fet it on a

" common fire tq boil, (taking care that it do

" not boil over,) till the matter be nearly

*^ dry ; when it will be greatly diminiflied.

*^ Fill then the crucible to the fame height a-

" gain, and repeat this, till the crucible be

** filled with dry matter. Take it then from

" this fire, and put it into the wind-furnace j

" or, if the quantity be fmall, it may be con-

^' tinned in the fame fire, the coals being

*' heaped up round it ; and let the contents be

*' calcined there till they become of a red co-

*•' lour when cold ; which muft be examined

" by taking a little of ^ the matter out of the

" middle, and fuffering it to cool : for fo

[^ long as it remains hot the red colour will

E " not

<(

50 Of the Substances

*^ not appear, though it be fufficiently calcined. " When duly calcined take the oker out of " the crucible while hot, and put it into wa- " ter, in which the parts of the broken cru- " cible may be fbaked likewife to obtain more *^ eafily what (hall adhere to them ; and ftir " the oker well about in the water, that all " the remaining vitriol may be melted out of •* it. Let it then fettle, and when the water " appears clear, pour* it off, and add a frefti " quantity ; taking out all the broken pieces •* of the crucible j and proceed as before ; •* repeating feveral times this treatment with frefli quantities of water. Then purify the oker from any remaining foulnefs by wafti- ing over > and, having ^'ought it to a pro- per ftate of drynefs, by draining off the fluid " by a filter, in doing which the paper ufed " muft be covered with a linnen cloth, lay ^ it to dry on boards." *

Common Indian^ red.

The common Indian red, meant here, is of an hue verging to the fcarlet : but the true Indian red, (of which I fhall fpeak below) is greatly mclining to the purple : among which colours^ k may be well clafTed.

This common kind has been introduced as a counterfeit or fubftitute for the real kind brought from the Eaft-Indies : and has, by its chcap- nefs and ferving equally well for common pur- pofes> prevented that from bemg brought over I for

tJSEb IN Painting. ^t

tbt a long time; So that the true tcinf of the

briginal kind, being in fome mcafure forgotten,

this has been gradually made to vary from it,

till it is in fad a quite different colour. But

though the common Indian red will not an-

fwer the ends of the true kihd, it is yet a very

ufefiil colour for many other purpofes : and i$,

ftereforej ort account of its ftanding and

l¥arm though not bright colour, much ufed

lis well in finer as coarfer paintings in oil. As

it is made of the caput mortuum of vitriol

after the diftillation of aqua fortis and oil of

Vitriol^ it is afforded at a very irioderate price^

and may be thus managed.

*^ Take, of the caput mortuum or oker left ** in the iron pots After the diftillation of aqual *^ fortis from nitre and vitriol, tvVo parts, and of ** the caput mortuum or colcothar left in the " long necks after the diftillation of oil of vi- ** triol one part; break the lumps fourid among ** them and put them into tubs with a good ** quantity of water ; and, having let them *' ftaind for a day or two, frequently ftirring *' them well about, lade off as much water as ^[ can be got clear from them ; and add a frefti ** quantity 5 repeating the fame treatrtient till ^* dl the falts be w^afhed out, and the water ** cdme off nearly infipid. The red powder *' which reniains muft then be waflied over, and ^ being freed from the waiter laid out to dry^ " When this is defigned for nicer purpofes, ** it fliould be waflied over again in bafons, ^ the g^ofs manlier of lading it out of one tub E a ,« inta

52 OftheSubstances

" into another not fitting it always completely

'' to fuch ends/'

Of Venetian red. s

Venetian red is a native red oker, rather in- clining to the fcarlet than the crimfon hue : it is not far different from the common Indian red, but fouler ; ^nd.may, therefore, be eafily prepared from mixing common red oker with the colcothar or caput mortuum taken out of the aqua fortis pots, and wafhed over.

As it is generally ufed by houfe-painters in imitations of mahogony, it requires no o- ther preparation than to be well ground with the oil with which it is ufed ; but when, as is fometimes the cafe, it is ufed in miniature painting, it fhould be carefully wafhed over.

Spanijh brown.

Spanifh brown, or brown red, is a native earth, found in the ftate, and of the colour in \vhich it is ufed : it is nearly of the fame co- lour with the Venetian red, but fouler. It vsras probably from its name brought originally from •abroad, and was then mofl likely of a finer kind : but what is now ufed is the produce of our own country, being dug up in feveral parts of England. ■ -

It is ufed for grounds and priming's for coarfc workbyhoufe-paintersj and bycolourmenin the ' preparation of the cloths for piftures and other

coarfc

\ft

^usED IN Painting. 53

coarie work : but feldom in any more delicate paintings. It therefore needs no other prepara- tion than freeing it well from ftones and filth : the' if any who may be defirous to ufe it for nicer purpofes, want to have it in a more per- f€<ft ftate, they may make it equal, in finenefs and purity to any other pigments whatever, . by wafhing over : and, if they can render it ufeful to them with regard to the colour, they may depend on its ftanding equally with any other pigment whatever; being a native ochrous eartli, of which kind none are ever known to feili whether they be ufed of their natural teint,

or changed by calcination*

Ik.'-

Of calcined or burnt terra de Siena. \

The terra de Siena is a native oker brought Irither from I.taly In the ftate it is naturally found : it is yellow originally ; (of its qualities in which ftate we (hall treat in its proper place below 5) but when moderately calcined, it be- comes an orange re4, though not very bright. Being, however, feml-tranfparent in oil, it is of great ufe where' a ftrong brown red (liade is wanted; as in the face in portrall painting, and on many other occafioris.

The calcination may be performed by put- ting lumps of it, either in a crucible, or naked; in a common fire : and continuing it there, till the colour be changed- from yellow to red itj the proportion wanted ; after which, it mxift be well levigated and waflicd over,

E3 With

54 Of the Substances

Witfi refpedt to the goodnefs of terra de Siena, we have but one kind brought here : and whoever can obtain it crude^ in die un^ burnt lumps, may be certain it is ppt adub terated.

Qf carmine.

Carmine is a bright crimfon colour, and 19 formed of the tinging fubftancc of cocbinfal brighted with aqua fprtis, by a procefs iipular to th^t ufed ifor dying fcarlet in grain. It is of great;advantage in painting as well in water a^ yarnifb, both op accpunt of its beauty vid {landing well; but it will not mix with oil fo as to hayc the due effect in that kind of painting.

; The preparation of this colour in perfcftion i&kept aftcret in France, where the befti^ pror pared : for though fome is made here of good Jjue and brightneis before it be ufed, yet it flips on Its cptnmixture with white ; and turns pyr- pie even with the fweat of the fkin, if rubbed pn the hands or face. The fuperiprity of the t'rench carmine, as well as pf the fcarlet dye, has fceen attributed to fbme qualities in the air and water of France; but nothing is more abfurd than tlii? fuppqfition, as the air has very little concern in the produftion of carmine ; apd ^e qualities of the water if different might be artificially changed. But the difference itfelf i)etwixt the Englifh and French carmine, which docs not lie in th» beauty of the co-

lour.

USED IN Painting. ^^

lour, but in its durablenefs and fixt nature, clearly evinces a diverfity in the preparation > and leaves no room to doubt, but that the car* inine might be equally well made in this coun* try, if we were thoroughly mafters of the art j and a confiderablc faving thence gained to the public ; as at prefent we buy of France the far greateft part of what is confumed ; which is jnorc than can be eaiily inugined^ till we recol- left, how frequent the ufe of red is grown a- mong the Englifti ladies 5 and that this is al- moft the only fubftance ufed in this country as a red paint for living &ces.

The compilers of the new French Cyclo- pedia have given two or three old recipes for the preparation of this colour j and afterwards recommended anodier, as preferable to them taken from Kunckel ; which on examination is only a procefs for making bad lake of fear- let rags : but rather than to infert fuch inper- feft inftrudions for the making an article of great confequence, as may delude ihofe, who are eairneft in their , perfuit of this art into a fruitlefs expencc of time and money, I chuife to be filent, and aclbiowlcdge my own igno- rance in this particular, inflead of leading them into an error by groundlefs preteniions to the contrary.

Of lake.

Lake is a white earthy body, as fcuttle-fifh- bonei the bails of alum, or chalk, tinged with

E 4 ^ fome

56 Of the Substances

fome crimfon vegetable dye, fuch as is ob- tained from cochinecl, or Brafil wood diffolved or taken up by means of fome alkaline fait, and precipitated on the earth by the addition of fome acid.

Lake is ufed in all kinds of painting (except enamel:) but particularly in oil;. where it fup- plies the place of carmine, which does not at all agree with that vehicle. It is valuable both, for its brightriefs' and crimfon teint ; which make it ufeful for carnations to the portrait painters j for fkies to the landfkip or fhip painters ; and for flowers to thofe who paint ftill life. Its tranfparency in oil renders it alfo of great lervice in glazing, as it is called, over vermilion ; and in painting fcarlet draperies, and the red parts of the lips : and its acquiring a dark hue, by this tranfparency, when ufed without the ad-^ dition of any opake pigment, gives it an tinri- Valled excellence in the fhades of red draperies^ or other fimilar cafes. Notwithftanding thefe meritorious qualities, lake is not at prefeht uni-^ verfally approved : nor without reafbn ; for there is a defeiS, which makes it to be fre^ quently rejefted where its ufq can be avoided. This defeft is the uncertainty of its ftanding, when prepared in that manner which moft conduces to its perfe(3:ion in other i^efpedtsl For though fome parcels will hold their colour intirely well, yet others pi^epared in the feme manner, as far as art can affur^ it, will fly in a degree that makes the ufe of it deftrudive tq any painting ; and if this dcfeft be effcdually

remedied.

USED IN Painting. 57

remedied, as it may be by fecuring the tinging particles by gums, from all attacks of the air i yet that is jgenerally at the expence of the brightnefs and tranlparency : the earth, which is the bafis of the pigment, being locked up by the gurns, and rendered incapable of being combined intimately with, or iriibibing the oiU Befides the perfeftions of lake which it may . have in common with other colours, there is ye^ another that relates only to itfelf, which is flic inclining to the fcarlet hue that makes it more valuable for almoft all thepurpofes to whidilt IS applied : and where this quality joined to ih^ others happen to be found in it, there is fcarcely any limits to be fet to its value with eminent pain- ters of any kind : as was fhewn in the inftance of a parcel made by an unknown perfon, fup^ pofed to be a member of the Royal Society, and vended by one St6cks, then a colourman in Newgate-Street, which, was afterwards fol4 by fome of thofe who purchafed it of him at two guineas ^^r ounce.

Lake was moft probably firft made from the colour found in the grains of the ftick-lac, from whence it feems to have taken its nanie: but it may be made frorni a great variety of fubftances which afford a crimfon tinge 5 tho' at prefent it is feldom prepared from any other than cochineel, fcarlet rags, and Brafil wood.

The beft of what is commonly fold is made from the colour extraded from fcarlet ra^s and depofited on the cuttle-bone, which may be > doije in the followirig manner.

« Take

58 Of the Substances

" Take a pound of the beft pcarl-afhes, ^* and, having diflblved them in two quarts " of water, pudfy them by filtering through paper. Add then to this fblution two more quarts of water, and having put in a pound of fcarlet fhreds, procured of the tailors, (for they muft be intirely clean) boil them in the pewter boiler defcribed p. 24^!! the fhreds appear to have wholly loft their fcar- ** let colour. Take them out of the folution *• and prefs them well ; dipping them after in *• water and prefling them again, that all the *• fluid they had imbibed may be got from " them, wnich muft be put back to the reft. " Take then another pound of the fcarlet ^* (hreds, and repeat the like treatment of them ^* in the fame folution ; as alfo a third and " fourth pound. While this is doing diflblve •• a pound and half of cutde-filh in a pound ** of ftrong aqua fords in a glafs receiver, add- " ing more of the bone, if it appear to pro- •* duce any ebullition in the aqua fbrtis : and, ^* having fbrained oflfthis fblution through flan- " nel, pour it into the other by degrees : ob- " fcrving whether it produce any clFerveicencc " on putting in the laft quantity : which, if it •* doj in any great degree, more of the cuttle- " fifh-bone muft be diflblved in aqua fords 5 ^* and the fc^udon very gradually added till no ^^ ebullition appear to be railed by it in the •* mixture* It this be properly managed the ^^ fluid will ibon become clear and colourlds^ i^ and die dnging parddes c^Orafted from the

" ihrcds

osBJ> IN Painting^ 59

.'< fhreds together with the cuttfe-fiih-bonc^ '* will fubfide to the bottom, and form acriiri* j^* fon fediment ; which is the lake. The wa? ^* ter muft then be poured off; and two gal- '^ tons of hard fpring water muft be put .to ^' the lake, and well ftirred about to qiix <' them : which, being likewife poured ofl^ ^^ after the lake has again fettled to the ^^ bottom, muft be replaiced by ai^other two '^ gallons } and the fame inediod muft be re^ f^ peated four or 6vc times : but if hard water. '" cannot be procured, or the lake -appear too ^ purple, h|Llf an ounce of alum, ihould be *' added to each quantity of water before it ^* be ufed. When the lake is thus fufficicntly '^ freed from the falts, it muft have the watec '* drained from it in a filter covered with a lin« •" nen cloth, which has been fb worn, as; to " have no knap or down remaining on its fiir- " face. After the lake has drained to a pror ^* per drynefs, it muft b« dropped, on clean •** boards, by means of fHcks of elder, moun-r " tain-afh, or other hollow wood, cut into the '" form of pens 5 and fuffered to dry : when ^ the drops will appear in the form of little " qpnes or pyramids."

liF this lake be of a deeper colour than be defircd, the proportion of fcarlet fhreds may be diminifhed : or if it be wanted yet deepei:, they may be increafed.

This lake, whyen the procefs fucceeds well^ will be very bright : and will ftand equally to any whateveir : but it is not (o tranfbarent and ■': ■ '■ ^ fit

6o Of, THE SUBST Al^ICES

fit for glazing as that where earth of alum is the bans.

Lake may be prepared from cochineel in the following manner.

*• TaKe two ounces of cochineel, and infulfc ** it in a gallon of ftale but very clean urine " for feveral days. Take alfo half an ounce of •* the beft annatto and diflblve it in a Iblution ** of two ounces of pearl-^fhes in a pint of wa- *' ' tet ; . filter both the folutions aft'd mix them. ** Make then a foliition of cuttle-fifh-bone as •* in .tile above procefs ; and to a pint of it add •* txvo ounces of alum diflblved in half a pint of **.^er. Put this mixture gradually to that ** off the urine amf pearl-afhes, as long as any " cbulfition appear to arifc ; and proceed as to " the reft according -tadiredlions of the above ." procefs.*^

Thiis lake will be very fine if luckily ma- naged, and will ftand extremely well : it wilt alfo be very fcarlet if the cochineal and annat* to be good.

preparation of beautiful lake from Brazil wood^

** Take of Brazil wood (not coloured in " the grinding by the addition of pearl-afhes) " three pounds, and boil it an hour in a folu- ^ tbn of three pounds of common fait in " three gallons of water : and then filter the " fluid through paper while hot ; prepare then •* a folution of five pounds of alum in threfe ^' gallons of water 5 which add to the fil--

'^ tered

USED IN Painting. 6i

*^ tered folution of common fait tinged with '^ tlie colour. Make alfb a folution of three ^ £>ounds of the beft pearl-afhes in a gallon *^ ^Lnd half of water, and purify it by filtering: ^* put this to the other gradually,, till the whole ^^ o£ the colour appear to be precipitated, and. *' leave the fluid clear and colourlefs : but, if *' any appearance of purple be feen^ add a *^ IFrefti quantity of the iolution of alum by *' degrees till a fcarlet hue be produced. The *^ proportion of alum muft however in this. ** cafe be nicely adjufted : fi>r a fmall excels " will caufe part of the tinging matter to be ^^ diilblved again; which will appear by the " fluids being coloured : and, . in fuch cafe, a " ballance mufl: again be made, by the addi- " tion of a fmall quantity of the Iolution of " pearl-afhes. When the fluid is thus ren- dered clear of colour, and the fediment, be- ing fubfided, appears of a crimibn teint tending to fcarlet, the dirc<3:ions in the firft procefs muft be followed in every point** This lake cannot be confided in for either Pointing in oil or water ; but in varnifh, cw: fc>r any other purpofe, where it is defended from air, it is fuperior to any other whatever. On account of its great brightnefs and tran- fparency.

It may be rendered fafe, however, with re- fpeft to ftanding, if half a pound of leed lac be added to the folution of pearl-a(hes ; and diflblved in it before its purification by the fil- ter: butj in this cafe, two pounds of the wood,

and

62 Of tUe Substance^'

and a proportibnatble quantity of flic comnidil fait and water, muft be ufcd in the coloured! folution. This will produce a lake that will ftand well in either oil of water ; and will ibmctimes be extremely beautiful ; but it i^ not fo tranfparent in oil as without the feed- lac.

The lake with Bfafil Wood th&y be ihade^ alio, with the addition of half an ounce of an- riatto to each pound of the wood : which will render it much more fcarlet where it is fo wanted. But the annatto muft be diflblved in the folution of pcarl-afhes 5 and not in that 0/ the common fait along with wood*

^he goodnefs of lake cannot be pofitively known but by the actual trial of it ; which^ with refpeft to its ftanding^ requires fome time ; but its other qualities may be tnortf eafily judged of.

With refped: to the brightnefsj its tnerit may be eafily proved by grinding a little of it^ on a pallet or ftone, with white lead and oil > where it may either be judged of by the me- mory of thofe who are very converfant in thd ufe of it, or by comparing it with a fample o( any other. In relation to the tranfparency, it is alfo eafy to judge of it, by grinding a little, in tlie fame manner, with oil only; whereamud-* dinefs will be perceived, if the lake be in the leaft opake : or a little of it m^y be put, in this" ftate, on the glafs of a window; where it^ thicknefs or clearnefs will of courfe be apparent- to the minuteft degree. This indeed is the

only

USED IN Painting. 63

only method ufed in general by colourmen for deciding on all the qualities of lake ; but it is very inconclufive with regard to any but tran- fparency. In refped: to the ftanding of lake, it is much more nice and difficult to deter- mine: and indeed there canfcarcely be any cer- tainty about it but by aftual experience. The colourmen having put a fmall quantity of any which they are defirous to try on a window, in the manner juft before mentioned, let it ftand there for fome time, to fee if the colour fly : and other perfons think they have a more ex- peditious and certain though lefs known me- thod, by tryingit with thejuice of lemon : which, if the juice turn the lake to an orange colour, or make any other change in it, gives a proof as they conclude of the badnefs, or of the con- trary if no alteration be produced : but neither of thefe methods are infallible 5 for it is prac- ticable to prepare lake, which will undergo both thefe tefts, and yet not ftand well when ufed in a picture. Though the ftanding the juice of lemon is fome prefunpiption, that the lake will hold its colour ; and the being al- tered by it is a pretty certain proof of the con- trary.

There is another defeat, with refpeft to fome purpofes; which is apt to be found in lake : it is the fatning in oil. This can only be known, by grinding fome of it in the oil, and keeping it the proper time in bladders. When, if it be found to have this fault, it may be deemed ut- terly unfit for the ufe of colourmen. If> never-

thelefs

64 Of the StJB.STANCES

thelefsithave no other bad qualities, it is not at all the worfe for this, with regard to thofe who have no occafion to keep colours in, bladders, but niix them as wanted on the pallet.

There is another kind of lake brought from China which is extremely beautiful; but as it will not mix well with either water or oil, tho' it diflblves intirely in fpirit of wine, it is Hot of any ufe in our kinds of painting hitherto. This lake has, by fome unaccountable blun- der, got the name of fafflower among thofe who paijit in water : and has, indeed, been fb called in more than one pamphlet written on the ufe of water colours. But there is not the leaft affinity betwixt it and the real fafflower; which is the dried flowers of the carthamus orbaflard faiFron> and is a well known fubftance ; as be- ing a common dying drug.

Of rofe lakcy commojtly rofe pinh

Rofe pink Is a lake like the former j except, that the earth or bafls of the pigment is prin- cipally chalk \ and the tinging fubftance ex- tradted from Bralil or Campeachy (commonly callfed Peachy) wood.

As it never can be expected to ftand, when ufed with oil or water, it is feldom employed for any purpofes but the coarfe work of houfe painters, or for paper hangings; unlefs fome- times with varnifh, where it is fecured from flying, and, when beautiful, may be fubftituted for lake*

Rofe'

USED IN Painting. 65

Rofe pink may be prepared in the following manner.

*^ Take Brazil wood fix pounds, or three

/* pounds of Brazil and three of Peachy wood,

** Boil them an hour with three gallons of wa-

** ter, in which a quarter of a pound of alum is

** diflblved. Purify then the fluid by ftraining

" thro' flannel ; and put back the wood into the

^ ** boiler with the fame quantity of alum, and

** proceed as before; repeating this a third

** time. Mixthen the three quantities of tinc-

** ture together 3 and evaporate them till only

^* two quarts of fluid ^remain; which evapora-

** tion muft be perforrried firfl: in the pewter

** boiler and afterwards in the balneo mariae

** defcribed p. 27. Prepare in the mean time

** eight pounds of chalk by wafliing over ; a

** pound of alum, being put into the water

** ufed for that purpofe, which after the chalk

** is wafhed mufl: be poured off and fupplled

** by a frefh quantity till the chalk be freed

** from the fait formed by the alum : after

^^ which it muft be dried to the confiftence

*' of ftiflFclay. The chalk, and tinfture as a-

*' bove prepared, muft be then well mixed to*

** gether by grinding -, and afterwards laid out

** to dry where neither the fun or cold air can

*^ reach it : though if it can be conveniently

** done, a gentle heat may be ufed."

The goodnefs of rofe pink lies chiefly in the brightnefs of the colour and the finenefs of its fubftance ; which laft quality depends on the wafhing well the chalk. The more

F thei

66 OftheSubstanges

the hue of rofe pink verges on the true crimfon, that is to fay, the lefs purple it is, the greater its value/-

Red oker.

" Red oker is a native earth : but what is commonly ufed is made red by calcinauon ; being when dug out of the earth yellow, and the fame with the yellow oker commonly ufed. It is chiefly brought from Oxfordfliire, where it is found in great plenty, and buritf in large ovens. The quality it has, in com- mon with all other okers, of (landing infallir bly, renders it very ufeful, as well in die more delicate as coarfer paintings in oil, notwithr ftanding it is not bright : but in order to its being fit for nicer purpofes, it ought to be waihed over ; though for others, it may be ufed in the ftate in which it is found in the fhops.

The cheapnefs of red oker renders it fcarcely worth while to adulterate it : but, either from fuch pradices, or from the difference of their natural ftate, fome parcels are greatly better than others. The marks of goodnefs are brightnefs of colour; and the being of a crum- bly chalky texture, fhewing no gritty rough- nefs when rubbed betwixt the fingerg.

Class

tJSBD IN Painting. tj

C L A s s IL Of blue colours. Of ultramarine.

ULTRAMARINE is a preparation of calcined lapis lazuli. It is, when perfeft, an extreme bright blue colour, with \ tranfparent efFeft in oil, and in fome degree b wa$er ; and will ftand, when ufed in paint- ipg, without the leaft hazard of flying, with whalever vehicle, or pigment, it be mixed. For thefc r?aibns, ultramarine is of the higheft va- lue in every kind of painting ; being equally ftmceable in all, even in enamel : and though tke invention of P-ruffian blue, on account of il$ much lower price, has greatly leflened the ufe of it, yet this exclufion of it may be con- fidered as an injury to painting in general ; as tfce flcies of landfchapes, and many other parts of modern pidures, (hew the lofs of it, by ^eir changing from a warm, or clear blue, to a faint greenifh or olave teint.

There have been a great variety of methods taught, and pracSifed, for preparing the ultra- marine. The older methods were, after a calcination in a crucible, to mix a compofition of pitch, refin. Burgundy pitch, fope, wax, and other ingredients ; and to form a pafte of tkem with the calcined matter ; which pafte was then put into water for feveral days \ and afterwards diflblved, by fucceflive quantities of warm water poured on it, till it let go the co- lour of the calcined ultramarine \ which v/as

Y z re-

68 Of THE Substances recovered by the fame means as is diredled for the wafhing over colours in p. 40. But diis method of employing a variety of ingredients, in the cement, was not only unneceilary, but injurious to the colour -, which was never perfeftly freed by the warm water from them : and for this reafon, the methods have been con- tinually varied by thofe, who have attempted to prepare this pigment. I fhall however give the beft of the more modern ; and fubjoin one of older date ; which I believe, neverthelefs, to be equally good, though not near fo troublefome. " Take the lapis lazuli, and break it int6 " very fmall pieces, or rather a grofs powder. " Put it into a crucible ; and cover it fecurely ^^ to prevent the coals from falling amongft it. " Calcine it then, with a ftrong fire, for an hour ^^ if there be any large quantity, or lefs time '^ in proportion -, and quench it, when taken '^ out of the fire, in vinegar ; ftirring them f^ well together; and fufFer it to remain in that " ftate for a day or two. Pour off then the " vinegar ; except what may be neceffary for ^' moiftning the calcined lapis lazuli in grind- " ing ; which operation it muft then undergo, " in a mortar of flint or glafs, till reduced to f^ the greateft degree of finenefs thofe means " may effedt ; but, if it appear yet too hard to " be eafily ground, give it another fhort calci- ^^ nation; and quench it a fecond time in vine- f ^ gar. The vinegar muft then be waflied off f^ from the powder, by the putting to it feve- ff ral fucceflive quantities of clean water ; each

'' of

USED IN Painting; 69

** Df which muft be poured off when the lapis " lazuli has been wfell ftirred about in them, and '* is again fetded to the bottom. It muft then ^' be ground on a porphyry ftonej with a niul- *' ler> till it be perfectly impalpable i and then *' dried : in which ftate it is duly prepared to

" mix with the following cement. Take

" of Burgundy pitchy nine ounces, — of white *' refin, — and Venice turpentine^ fix ounces, — ** of virgin wax one ounce and half,-;-and of ^' linfeed oil one ounce and a quarter. Mix them ^' together by melting in a pipkin over the fire ; *' and fufFer them to boil tiU they acquire fo *^ ftiff a confiftence, that, being dropt into wa- ^* ter while of this boiling heat, they will not ** fpread on the furfaee of it, but form a " roundifh mafs or lumps. The cement be- ** irig thus formed, may be poured out of the ** pipkin into the water : and made into cakes " or rolls for ufe. Of this cement, take ^* an equal weight with that of the calcined ** lapis lazuli j and melt it in a glazed earthen *' pipkin ; but not fo as to render it too fluid, " Then add to it the calcined matter by very ** flow degrees ; fHrring them together with .*' an ivory fpatula till the whole appear perfecfk- ** ly mixed. Being thus mixed, heat the com- ** pofition to a fbmething greater degree, and " caft it into a large, bafon full of cold water : ** and, when it has cooled to a confiftence to ^' bear fuch treatment, knead it well like the ^' dough of breads with the hands rubbed over *' with linfeed oil, till all the parts be tho- F3 " foughly.

yo Of THE Substance's

" roughly incorporated Ivith each other: th6h ** make the mafs into a cake ; which may be ei- *^ ther kept till fome other convenient time ih *^ cold water, or immediately proceeded with ih ** the following manner. Put the cake into ih " earthen difh or bafon 5 the bottom of whidi *^ fhould be rubbed with linfeed oil, and pour " on it water of the warmth of blood : Ifetit ** ftand a quarter of ah hour 5 and, ^s the water " foftens me cake, it will let l©ofe the fineft " part of the calcined matter : ivhich, on " gently ftirringthe water, but without brfeak- ** ing the cake or feparating it into lefler parts, ** will be fufpended in the water ; iahd muft " be poured of with it into another veffel. " The quantity of water ihuft be then re- " newed : and the fame operation repeated a " fecond or third time : and, as the mafs ap- ** pears flack, in affording the colour, it muft *^ be moved and flirred, in the manner of ** kneading, with the ivory fpatula, but not ** broken into fragments or fmall parts : and, *' when fo much of the colour is extrafted, '* as to render it neceflary for the obtaining *^ more, the heat of the water muft be ^n- ** creafed to the greateft degree. The q«an- ** titles of the calcined matter, (which is now *^ the lapis lazuli,) that were firft wafhed ofF^ *' and appear of Ae fame degree of deepnels " and brightnefs, may be put together : arid " the fame of thofe of the fecond degree ; " the laftwaftiings making a third. The water " being then poured off from each of thefe

" parcels.

USED IN Pa INT IN G.' yi

*^ parcels, put on a lixivium formed of two ** ounces of fak of tartar, or pcarl-afhes, dit- " fblved in a pint of water, and filtered thro* ^ paper after the folution is cold: which " lixivium niuft be put on boiling hot, and ^' die lapis lazuli ftirred well about in it; " and then the mixture fet to cool. The ** powder being fubfided, thd clear lixivium " muft.be poured off, tmd clean water put in '^ its place : which muft be repeated till the ** whole of the falts of the lixiviupi ^re waihed *^ away. The lapis lazuli muft afterwards be ** dried ; and will be then duly pfepared for « ufc."

" Another method of purifying the ultra- *^ marine from the cement niay be ufed ; which ** is, the pricking the yolks of eggs with a pin, *' and moiftnjng the matter to be purified *' with the /oft part that wll run out^ and *^ wprldng them together in a glafs or flint *^ mortar : after which the mixture ipuft be ^ put into the lixivium ; and proceed with as " is above direfted.

" In order to free the ultramarine from that ** part of the water, which cannot be poured " off from it without carrying away part of " die powder, let it be put in a deep pot, fuch " as the cups made for coffee ; and, after the ^^ whole is poured off that can be without lofs, " fet the pot fo on a table or ftand, that ftrings ^\ ptit into it may hang below the bottom ; " and then take three or four thick threads df " loofc twifted cotton ; and, having wet them,

F 4 " put

72 Of the Substances

" put one end of each into the fluid j and let " the other, being brought over the edge of ** the pot, hang three or four inches below the " bottom of it : by which means, the w^ater, " being attrafted by the threads, will drop ** from the lower end till the whole be near- " ly drained away. The matter may then be " poured upon a porphyry, or poliftied mar- " ble ; and fufFered to dry."

The other method, I have propofed to give, differs, from the above, only in the ufing virgins wax and the befl white refln, melted together in equal quantities, inftead of the more compound cement : and this gives up the colour, on its being infufed in warm water, much fooner than the other.

The other methods of preparing ultramarine differ chiefly in the manner of feparating the colour from the cement and feculencies : which fome recommend to be done, by fqueezing and working the mafs with the hand in warm water, after it has lain in it fome time to foften. Others advife the put- ting the mafs in the form of a flat cake, on a board, in a fituation fomewhat declining from an horizontal pofition, and making water drop on the board above the cake, that it may flow through it, and wafli out the ultramarine : to facilitate which, the parts of the cake muft be frequently opened and flirred widi a flick. But this method is more troublefome and lefs effi- cacious than that above given.

Ultramarine may be alfo prepared, without

any

•USED IN Painting! 73

any cement, by calcining it ; and, when levi- gated and wafhed over, foaking it in diflilled vinegar made hot. The ultramarine will, in this way of preparation, be produced in great- er quantity j but it will be lighter coloured than when refined by the cement. It is, how- ever, a very good method of preparing it for the fkies, and fbme other ufes.

As it is of the laft confequence to the pro- ducing fine ultramarine, that the lapis lazuli, of which it is made, fhould be good, it may be judged of by infpedtion from the deepnefs and clearnefs of its blue colour ; and in order to be more certain of its value, it is proper to heat a fmall piece red hot; which, if it retain after- wards its hardnefsand colour, may be accounted good, but if it become crumbly and turn brown, or appear to have Ipecks of dulnefs, it may then be juftly fufpefted, or rather condemned.

The different parcels of ultramarine pro- duced from the fame parcel of lapis lazuli, ac- cording to the above procefs, will differ greatly in their value: the manner of judging of whicn muft be by the degree of brightnefs and deep- nefs of the colour ; but there is no being pre- cifely certain of the worth of any but by com- paring it with a fpecimen of known value; and to do that with great accuracy, a little of each fhould be thinly rubbed on white paper, or mixed with white flake and oil, by means of a pallet knife, fo as to form light teints of the fame degree ; where the brightnefs will fhew itfelf more diftinguifhably than in darker.

Of

^4 €)# t^E SU'B STANCES

Of ultramarine ajhes.

The pigment called ultramarine aflies is tliS refiduum or remains of the lapis lazuli after the ultramarine has been extrafted from it by thcf a- bove given, or any fimilar procefs. But as thd coloured particles which remain are mixt with thofe of another kind contained in the lapis lazuli, whether earths or metalline fubftances, thefe afhes mufl: of eourfe be much lefs valua- ble than even the worft ultramarine : fome- times, neverthelefs, when the operation of the extradling the colour from the calcined lapis lazuli has not fucceeded well, a confiderable (hare of the ultramarine is left behind with die recrement, and greatly enhances the ^orth of the afhes: and indeed, as it is certain, that what colour they poflefs when genuine will never fly, they always bear a good price. The ap- pearance of thefe afhes is that of ultramarine a little, tinged with red, and mixed with white:' but they are frequently adulterated; and made by the fophiftication to look better than they would in a genuine ftate. This adulteration renders them much lefs certain of ftanding, if, as is moft frequently the cafe, it be made by precipitated copper, in the manner before mentioned in the cafe of the adulteration of the ultramarine. This is eafily, however, de- tefted by the method above given of putting fome of it into a fmall quantity of fpirit of nitre, which, if there be any copper in it will

be

trsED IN PAiNiriNe^ y^ be tifiged green. But there is ancrther means of fophiftiGiation, that wiU not tender the co- lour liable to fly : and indeed it is well it is fo, becaufe the difficulty of diftir>gui(hing it, when ndt in a high degree, is much greater. This is, the eommiiScing, with the ultramarrnte aflies, finalt ground and waflied ever : which, when ^ood, ahd thus treated, has fo much the ap- pearance 6f the other, that it isfcai^cely poffi- ftle to perceive any difference by infpeftion. rfhe fmalt ncverthdefs, however well ground, ^11 nevelr mix kindly with oil ; but fall from it if »»rttich moiflned, or with lefs oil forms a ■piffy^ttiitter : nor will it fpread when mixed wifh white and oil, in any proportion like -the liftrahterine alhes. Bf thefe properties, there- •fdffc, "liii^edlcd quantities may* be beft judged dfi^as^Ae adulteration becomes apparent ; if rile ^\^tMty of the fmialt commixed with the trate afhes tender them predominant.

The method of preparihg the ultramarine aflies is as follows.

•^ Take the cement of the ultmmarine, which ** fina^ins after the colour is extracted ; a«d mix ^^ it-^th<fbur times its weight of linfced oil. "Let " -riie mixture be fet in a glazed pipkin over the *^ fire 3 aind, when it is thus bdleda ihoft time, pilt it Into a glafs veffel, fufficiently large to cotttain it, • of a cylindrical figure : of which vfelTel the diameter muft be fmall in propor- tion to the length. But care muft be taken, that the matter when put mto this glafs be co61 enough not to endanger the breaking

" it.

(€

76 Of the StfBSTANCBS

" it. This glafe muifl: iJieft be put into a bal- " neum mariae ; which muft be made as hot " as poffible without boiling ^ and kept there ** till the colour appear to be all fubfided to the " bottom. The oil muft then be poured off " till the colour appear to rife with it > and " the remainder, with the colour in it, muft " be put into another glafs of the fame kind *^ with as much frefh oil as will rife five or fix " inches above the colour. This glafs muft " be treated in the fame manner as the firft : ** and, when the colour has fubfided, the oil " muft be poured off, and a frefli quantity " put in its place. This having been likewife '* poured off, the colour muft then be well " waftied, to fi-ee It from the remaining oil^ ^^ firft in boiling water, and afterwards in Tome " of the lixivium abovementioned made boil- ing hot alfo. As much of the lixivium be- ing poured off, when the colour has fub* fided, as can be feparated from it that way, the colour muft be thoroughly freed fi:om the remainder by frequent ablutions with " clean water. After which die water inuft " be taken off by the means above directed ** for the .ultramarine, till the matter be of a ** proper degree of moifture for grinding. It " muft then be thoroughly well ground on a " porphyry 5 and wafhed over ; that all the " harder and infufficiently calcined parts " may be reduced to an impalpable pow- " der : in order to which, the remaining grofler parts, after the finer have been fepa-

" rated

cc

.cc

cc

USED IN Painting. 77

^' rated by the wafliing over, muft be again ." ground till the whole be perfedtly fine, ^* The fame means muft be afterwards ufed ^* to bring the afhes to a dry powder that were ^* before directed for the ultramarine/*

Of Prujpan blue.

Pruffian blue is the fixt fulphur of animal or vegetable coal, combined with the earth of alum ; and may be made from almoft any a->- nimal, and many kinds of vegetable fubftances; though, from reafons of expedience, it is ge- neraUy made of the coal of blood only. It is ufed in all kinds of painting except enamel ; and is prepared of many different degrees of brightnefs, and ftrength ; as well as of diffe- rent teints : fome parcels being, though rarely, of a true unmixed blue, but the far greateft part of a purple hue ; though the proportion of the tinge of red is frequently various, ac- cording to the different manner of, or acci- dents attendant on, the management of it. With refped: to ftanding, Pruffian blue can neither be efteemed the moft perfect, nor the moft faulty, colour. When it is very dark, that is, when the tinging particles bear a large proportion to the earth, it will fometimes ftand extremely well ; but it is apt then to want brightnefe, and be very purple : on the other hand, when it is light, or with a fmall pro- portion of the tinging part, it is more fre- quently bright, and cool, as it is called, (that J is.

78 O'F THE Sub STANCES

is,, deaf of any mixj&jre of red) ; but extreme- ly fiibjeift ta ny,. or to turn to a greyjfla green. Tbi^ h noir however, univerfel,. for I have fisen fome very dark^ which has beeij pretty bright and cool; as likewife fome that has been light, w^hich would ftand perfedly well. The common Ppuflian blue, however, found In the (hops, which is prepared almoft wholly, at prefent, by ignorant and fordid people, and fold at very low prices, can be very little de^ pended upon ia paintings of confequence ; but whoever would have this pigment perfe<ft, ihould either prepare it, or procure ijt to be prepared, in the prefer and true manner ; and then coniidering the high price of ultramarine, and the foulnefs of indico, it may be deemed an acquifition to the art of painting.

The Pruffian blue may be prepared in per- fbiSion by the following procefs.

*^ Take of blood any quantity ; and evapo- " rate it to perfect dryneis. Of this dry bloody " powdered, take fix pounds, and of the beft pearl-aflies two pounds: mix them well together in a glafs or ftone mortar; and then put the mixt matter into large crucibles or earthen-pots ; and calcine it in the furnace defcribed, p. Z2; the top of the crucible or pot being covered with a tile, or other fuch convenient thing, but not luted. The calcination Ihould be continued, fo long as any flame appears to iffue from the matter ; " or rather till it become very flender and ^^ blue ; for if the fire be very ftrong, a fmall

I " flame

€C

€C

CC

CC

USED IN Painting. 79

^' flame would arife for a very long timet ** When the matter has been fufficiently caU " cined, take the veflels which . contain it out " of the fire; and, as quickly as poffiblc, ^^ throw it into two or three gallons of water; " and, as it foaks there, break it with a wooden " fpatula, that no lumps may remain. Piit " it then in a proper tin-veflel, and boil it for " the fpace of three quarters of an hour or " more 3 and filter it while hot through paper " in the tin cullenders defcribed, p- 27 ; and ^* pals fome water through the filter when it *^ is. run dry, to wa{h out the remainder of the ^* lixivium of the blood and pearl-aihes ; the *^ earth remaining in the filter may be then ^* thrown away. In the mean time, difiblve *^ of clean alum four pounds, and of green " vitriol or copperas two pounds, in three " galkms of water. Add this folution gra- ** dually to the filtered lixivium, fo long as any ^' eflFervefcence appear to arife on the mix- " ture; but, when no ebullition or ferment " follows the admixture, ceafe to put in more. ^^ Let the mixture then ftand at reft, and a ^' green powder will be precipitated : from ** which, when it has thoroughly fubfided, " the clear part of the fluid muft be poured " offy and frefli water put in its place, and " ftirred well about with the green pow- ** der ; and, after a. proper time c^ fettling, '* poured ofl^ like the firft. Take then of *' fpirit of fait double the weight of the green *^ vitriol which was contained in the quantity

'^ of

8o Of THE Substances

** of folution of vitriol and alum added to " the lixivium, which will foon turn the green " matter to a blue colour^ and, after fome " time, add a proper quantity.of water, and " wafli the colour in the fame manner, as ** has been direfted for lake, Gfr. ; and when " properly wafhed, proceed in the fame man- " ner to dry it in lumps of convenient fize."

By the proportions as given in this procefs, if it be rightly conduced, the Pruffian blue produced will be both deep and bright: but where it is defired to be of lighter colour, the quantity of dried blood muft be leflened : for if it be even reduced to one half, a beautiful light blue may be made. The proportion of vitriol may, if only half the proportion of blood be ufed, be alfo reduced to half; and likewife the fpirit of fait in proportion to that : the only ufe of the fpirit being to rcdiflblve the oker or iron precipitated from the vitriol- But if any abatement be made in the quantity of vitriol, an .equivalent weight of the alum muft be fubftituted in its place; that there may be a fufficient proportion of one or other of thefe falts, to precipitate the fulphur of the blood from the lixivium.

If the quantity of fpirit of fait prcfcribed fail, however, to convert the precipitated mat- ter from green to perfect blue, a greater pro- portion muft be ufed. For though the quan- tity directed be fully fufficient, when the fpi- rit is of due ftrength ; yet, as it is frequently found weak when purchafed of the chemifts,

or

USED IN Painting. 8i

or thofe who fell it, there can be no cer- tain dependance laid on any rule without ob- ferving that the efFeft be correipondent.

Pruflian blue, when made in great quanti- ties, may, for expedition, be dried by heat : and this may be performed by means of a fmall furnace conftruded in the following manner. Let a horizontal funnel of brick- work be built, with a vent at one end, open- ing into a chimney. This funnel mull be of fuch breadth, as will admit its being covered by plates of tin : and its length muft be re- gulated by the quantity of matter there may be occafion to dry. The plates of tin fhould be well vamifhed over, as well on the under as upper fide, by drying oil boiled to a thick confiftence and black colour ; and then ren- dered again fluid by means of oil of turpentine. They fhould be cemented to each other, where they join, by putty mixed with the above var- Jiifh : but they may be fixed to the brick- ^work, which'they reft upon, by fire-lute, and Dutch, or other tiles, laid over the edges. In ^he front of this funnel, muft be made a fmall fire-place for burning charcoal, w^hich muft vent itfelf into it inftead of a chimney. The Pruflian blue to be dried muft be laid in the form of a cake upon thele tin-plates ; and then icored crofs with a piece of horn both ways ; by which means, as the moifture exhales, and the mafs fhrinks, each fquare, formed by the fcoring, will be a feparatc lump. Okers, and 3ll other earths, as alfo vcmiilion, may be . G dried

82 Of the Substances

dried in the fame way on thefe plates : but, as thofe lubftances have nothing gummy or adhelive in their texture, they may be laid on paper upon the plates; which will prevent their contrafting any foulnefs from them.

The goodiieft of Pruflian blue muft be di- ilinguifhed by its brightneis, deepnefs, and coolnefs : and where thefe qualities are found together in any parcel, it may be depended upon that it will ftand well ; for whatever is added to it to fbphifticate it, or whatever is done amifs in the procefs, will always render it more foul and purple. The moil certain way to judge of it is, therefore, to try it with white lead, or flake white, and oil; where the above qualities will difplay themfelves, or ap- pear wanting, in a much more diftinguifliable manner than in the lumps of unmixed colour. In the preparation of the coarfer kind of com- mon Pruflian blue, a great part of the oker or iron precipitated from the vitriol is left in the pigment : but in good Praflian blue there ought to be no iron. For in time it over- powers the blue of the fulphur of the coal, and fhews its own proper tinge of yellow in the paint : as,may be feen in all blue wainfcots, or other work done by houie-painters ; which in a Ihort fpace of time turn to an olive or green- iflrgray colour. The pretence of iron in Pruf- fian blue may be dilcovered by boiling a foiall quantity' of what is fulpeded in a lixivium of pearl-afties, to make a feparation of the co- lour fh)m the remaining earth ; which, if it

partake

(TSED IN Painting. 83

partake of the other, will appear yellow when wafhed and dried ; but if fete from it, white or gray.

Of verditer.

Verditcr is the mixture of chalk and preci- pitated copper, which is formed by adding the due proportion of chalk to the folution of cop- per maae by the refiners in precipitating the filvei: from die aquafortis, in tlie operation call- ed parting; in which they have occafion todif- fblve it in order to its purification. Verditcr is, when good, a cool foil blue, but without the leaft tranfparency either in oil or water. It is of a moderate degree of brightnefs ; and would have confequently a confiderable value in the nicer paintings, where it would fupply the place of ultramarine, or at leaft of the ultra- marine a(hes, if it could be depended upon : but in oil it is very fubjeft to turn greenifh, and fometimes black ; and in water, where it is fafer, it is yet not always found to hold: for which reafons it is rejedted, except in paper hangings and other coarfe work, or in varnifh, where diis objection to it ceafes.

Verditer is only to be had at a cheap rate from the refiners, who are at no expence in the making it, but that of the chalk and labour, as they could find no other ufe for the folution of copper made by precipitating the filver from the aquafortis, in one of their moft common operations, were they not to apply it to this. G 2 . The

84 Of THE SUBST AN-CES

The manner in which it may be beft done by them is as follows.

" Take any quantity of chalk, and having " rendered it properly fine by waflnng over care- " fully, add it gradually to the folution of cop- " per, fo long as any change appears to be pro- " duced by it from the ebullition excited : or " the due proportion may be perceived .by Ac " fluid's lofing its green tinge and becoming *^ colourlefs. Let it then ftand at reft till the *' fediment be fubfided; and pour oflF the " clear part of the fluid from the powder ; " adding in its place clean water, which muft " be feveral times renewed till the falts be in- " tirely waflied out ; when the fediment, " which is the verditer, muft be freed from " the fluid by filtering through paper covered ** with a cloth, and laid out in lumps of a " middling fize to dry."

The verditer as commonly found requires no fubfequent preparation for its being ufed : only where, as is frequently the cafe, from ufing chalk in the making of it that is not pu- rified, it is found gritty and not fufiiciently fine, and fliould then be wafhed over*

Thofe who defire to make verditer them- felves, may prepare the folution of copper, by adding copper filings gradually to aquafortis of any kind, or putting plates of copper into it; and then proceeding as is above directed for the refiners folution. It is not fo expenfive when prepared in this manner, but that it will well

anfwer

, USED I N Painting. 85

anfwer, to thofe who cannot conveniently pro- cure that prepared by the refiners.

Verditer is not fubjed: to be adulterated, as nothing cheaper of the fame appearance can be mixed with it. Its goodnefs muft be di- ftinguiihed by the darknefs and brightnefs of the colour ; and that is likewife to be preferred which is of the fuUeft blue teint, and not in- clining to green : As it may be inferred from thence that the colour will ftand the better. A much deeper and brighter kind of verditer may be made by ufing a filtered folutron of pearl-aihes, in the place of the chalk, and pro- ceeding, as to all other particulars, according to the above diredions.

Bleu de Cendres, or Sanders blue.

This colour, or rather name, is of late in- trodudlion, and has taken its rife, in all pro- bability, from fome French painters having taught the ufe of verditer in water colours'un- der the name Cendre bleu ; which the French in common ftyle give to it. This has been corrupted into Sanders blue ; and the late writers, who have pretended to teach the art of painting in water-colours, &c. have a- mongft other blunders and abfurdities, fpoken of this as a diftindt colour from verditer, known and in common ufe. There is iiothing, how- ever, to be found, on the moft diligent inqui- ry, in the colour-fhops, under this name, but common verditer; or a ipecies of it where the G 3 precipitation

86 Or THE SaSST ANC ES

p-ecipitalion of the copper appears to be m^de in part upon ftarch, as well as chalk. But this by no means anfwers the defcription of the author of a pamphlet publifhed by Mr. Peel in the year 1731, who iays, ** Sanders " blue is of very good ufe, and may ferve as " a fliade for ultramarine or the blue bice, " where the (hades are not required to be ex- *' tremely deep, and is of itfelf a pleafant blue ** to be laid between the lights and (hades of '* fuch a flower as is of a Mazarine blue." By which it is plain the Sanders blue meant here cannot be any kind of vcrditer; as that is alwayi lighter than the ultramarine itfelf; and can therefore never be a (hade to it. Un- lels the fpecifes of verditer mentioned above has been prepared darker than at prefent, as is prafticable, and fold under fuch a name, this author mull: have made fome miftake ; or im- pofftd upon the public, by writing what oc- curred to his imagination without regard to fat^.

If any, however, may defire to prepare 1 dark verditer of the kind here fpoken of, they may do it in the following manner.

'^ Take of the refiners folution of copper " made in the precipitation of fiiver from the " fpirit of nitre ; or difiblve copper in fpirit of " nitre or aquafortis, by throwing in filings ^' or putting in (lips of copper gradually, till " all effervefcence ccafe. Add to it of ftarch *^ fifkely powdered, the proportion of one fifth ^* or fixth of the weight of the copper diflbi-

'' ved.

«

cc

U S E D I N P A I N T I N O. 87

ved. Make then a folution of pearl- a/hes, and filter it ; and put gradually, to the fo- lution of copper, as much as will precipi- tate the whole of the copper -, which may be known by the fluid's becoming clear and ** cok>urlrfs, tnough before highly tinged with ^* green. Wafh the powder, which will be ^* precipitated, in the manner direded for ** lake, &c.', and, when it is fo well drained ** of water by means of a filter, as to be of a ^* proper confiftence, grind the whole well *' together, and lay it out to dry."

Of indico.

Indico is a tinging matter extradled from certain plants by means of putrefadtion, and a coagulation by the air. It is brought from the Eaft and Weft Indies, and cannot, as far as is hitherto known, be prepared in thefe colder climates, on account of the tender nature of the plants which produce it. It was foraierly almoft the 6niy blue colour ufed in painting, either t\rith oil or water, except ultramarine ; which,- froftfi Its great price, could only be ap- plied ta very nice purpofes : but, at prefent, the invention of Pruffian blue, and the foul- nefs of the indico brought froni the French or our own plantations, which is greatly infe- rior inr brighthefs to that made in the Spanifh Weft In^s, which was formerly imported here, have almoft banilhed the ufe of it as a paint, except for paper-hangings, or fuch grofs G 4 ufes.

88 OftheSubsta'nces

ufes. Where the beft Spanifh indico, never- thelefs, can be procured, it is preferable for ftiany purpofes to Pruffian blue, of the fame degree of brightnefs, from its certainty of ftand- ing : but it is never found either of the firft degree of brightnefs, nor fo cool as to be fit for all the ufes to which Pruflian blue can be ap- plied.

There is no other preparation neceflary to the ufing indico in painting, except a perfect levigation ; to which, for nicer purpofes, wafh- ing over may be added.

The goodnefs of indico may be difcerned by its darknefs and brightnefs : and, as it is al- ways apt to be purple, coolncfs gives a great additional merit to the beft for the ufes of painting.

Offmalt.

Smalt is glafs coloured with zaffer, and ground only to a very grofs powder. Its texture does not permit it to be worked with cither brufli or pencil ; but it is ufed for fome purpofes, by ftrewing it on any ground of oil- paint while wet ; where it makes a rbright warm blue iliining furface, proper for large fun-dials, and otiier fuch applications.

It is prepared from fluxing zafFer with glafs 6f falts : the proportion of which may be one fcventh part, or more or lefs according to the degree of deepnefs required in the fmalt.

The

USED IN Painting, 89

The goodnefs of fmalt confifts in Its being dark bright and cool, though it always verges on the purple.

Of bice.

Bke is fmalt reduced to a fine powder by levigation. It is a l^ht warm blue colour, and was formerly ufed in oil, more frequent- ly in water colours 5 but from its unfuitable texture it is now greatly difufed.

Its goodnefs lies in the brightnefs and cool- nds. This holds good only of the original ^nd true bice ; for at prefent feveral compofi- tions of indico and verditer, with chalk or other cheap fubftances, are fold in the name of bice. .

Of litmuSy or lacmus.

Litmus is a blue pigment brought hither from abroad, and formed from blue flowers. It is only ufed in miniature paintings, and cannot be there well depended upon, as the leaft approach of acid changes it inftantly from blue to red; though it will fland if no fuch accident intervene. The original preparation of litmus is by bruifing or pounding the leaves of tlie flowers, picked oiF.from the other parts, till they become a pulp; frpm whence the iuice muft be carefully kept from running off; which juice mufl: be afterwards reduced to a dry mafs by evaporation in balneo mariae. But

as

90 Of THt Substances a$ there are no flowers in this country, except the cyanus or corn-bottie, which afford a blue colour, and can be procured in a fufficient quantity, the preparation of this colour is not profitably pradlicable here, as it can be had from abroad at a very moderate price. The preparaidon of this colour, previous to its ufe ki miniafure painting, I fhall give in its pro- per place, when I fpeak of the commixture of vater-colours, with their proper vehicles.

C L A s & III. Of yellow colours.

Of Kings yellow.

King's yclIow is^ a pure ofpiwxent, or arfenic coloured with fulphur. - It is' ufed for painting in oil and varnifh : and is of an extreme bri^t colour, and when good a true yellow ; it will likewife ftand well being tifed alone : but when mixed with white lead, and feveral other pigments, its colour flies or changes. On this account, and for th^ addi- tional reafons of its being efleemed a poifon, and having a moft naufeous fmell, it is rejeft- ed by many ; but others find too rtiMch ad- vantage in its great brightnefs, as well in the ufe of it as a yellow, as when mixed with blue pigments to form a green, not to have recourfe to it on feme occafions.

This pigment muft be prepared by mixmg' folphtir and arfenic by fublimation, which may be done in the following manner.

2 '' Take

USED IN Painting. 91

" Take of arfenic powdered and flowers of

" fulphur in the proportion of twenty of the

" firft to one of the fecond : and having put

" them into a fublimer, fublime them in a

*' fand-heat, with fiich a furnace as is de-

** fcribcd p. 20, according to the general di-

*' redHons given p. 30. The operation be-

** ing over, the king's yellow will be found in

** the upper part ofthe glafs ; which muft be

*' carefully feparatcd from any caput mortuum

** or foul parts that may be found in the glafi

*^ with it. It muft be afterwards reduced to

*' an equal powder by levigation."

It may likewife be obtained from commoa orpitnent, by fubliming it, inftead of the ir- •fenic and fulphur, in the fame manner.

The king's yellow may be rendered warmer, that is more inclined to orange, by increafing the proportion of the arfenic ; or me contrary cfted: may be produced by diminiihing it.

King's yellow cannot be adtiherated with- out diminifhing its brightnefs : and therefore that which is beft in this refpeft may be efteemed good in others. Coolnefs, or the being free from red, is likewife a merit.

Of Napks yellow.

Naples yellow is a warm yelIo\C^ pigment rather inclining to orange, but in a very mi- nute degree. It is feldom ufed but in paint- ing with oil : where it is generally ft)uncl to ftand well 5 but, if it touch iron along with

the

92 Of the Substances

the Icaft watery moifture, it will be changed by it. As it is brighter than moft yellows ufed in oiI> and indeed than all at prefent in ufe, except the king's yellow, it is much received into pradice. It has been fuppofed to be a native earth, and is faid to be found in the neighbourhood of Naples ; but this is dubious^ as the different parcels of it vary too much from each in fpccific qualities to allow the fuppofition of their being native earths of the fame kind, at leaft with refpedl to fuch as are to be obtained from bur (hops ; for I have met with fome that was of a very different compofition from the common- The uncertainty with regard to Ae genuinenefs renders this pigment lefs valua- ble, as it is lefs to be depended upon with re- iped: to its holding its colour. Whether, how- ever, it is an earth that is at prefent generally Ibphiflicated, or what the preparation of it is, we ai'e at prefent ignorant of, as it is brought from abroad ; and this makes it more difficult to give marks of its genuinenefs -, which may therefore be befl gathered from its appearance and manner of mixing with the oil, in which the more adulterate kinds differ from the com- mon.

Though Naples yellow js of a gritty tex- ture, yet it is beft to ufe it as it is obtained, and only grind it with the oil ; for it does not well bear levigation with water. But if fuch levi- gation be neverthelefs praftifed on it, the greateft care muft be taken to employ an ivory fpatula in the place of a pallet knife ; which

would

USED IN Pa INT I NG. 93

would certainly injure tlie colour, if it were touched with it white wet 3 ,and even when mofftened with oil, the iron is in Ibme degree injurious to it.

Of yellow vler.

Yellow oker is a mineral eardi, which is found in many places, but of different degreed of purity. When free from other earths and heterogeneous matter, it is a true yellow of mor derate brightneft : and, as its texttire fuits it for all kinds of painting, and th^J it will never fly in the leaft, it is a very valuable colour with rc(pe<9: to its utility, though of low price.

There is no other preparation of yellow oker ncceflary than levigation : and for nicer purpofes wafhing over ; to undergo which its texture is extremely fuitable.

The goodnefs of yellow oker may be diffin- guifhed by the brightnefs and fulnefs of its yellow colour; and if it be bright, it cannot be too cool. But as it is not unufual to mix it with Dutch pink, and fet an extraordinary price upon it as being extremely good, that impofition muft be guarded againft ; which may be done by heating it to the degree that will turn paper brown ; which if it be genuine will make little or no alteration in it ; but if it be adulterated in this manner will give an np* parent foulnefs to it.

Of

94 Of THE Substances

Of Dutch pink.

Dutch pink is a pigment formed of chalk, coloured with the tinging particles of French berries or other vegetables. It is principally ufed for coarfer purpofes in water ; not bear* ixig well to be worked in oil : nor can it be depended upon with regard to its ilaading fo as to be fit for paintings of any confequence. ^, There are a variety of methods of prepar* ing Dutch pink : biit the following is very cheap and eaiy; and makes a nxoil beautiiui pigment.

" Take of French berries one pound, and •' of turmeric root powdered four ounces ; boil *^ them in a gallon of watfer two hours ; and " then ftrain off the tin<5hire through flannel, " and boil it again with an ounce of alum till *' it be evaporated to one quart. Prepare in *^ the mean time four pounds of chalk, by ** wafhing it over, and afterwards drying it : ** and mix the chalk with the tindure, by " grinding them together : and then layout the " Dutch pink thus made to dry on boards.'*

Dutch pink is fometimes prepared in the fenxe manner with ftarch and white lead.

The goodnefs of Dutch pink confifts in its being of a full gold coloured yellow, and very bright.

Of

vsED IN Painting, 95

Of Englijh pink.

Englijfli pink is only a lighter and courier kind of Dutch pink*

Of light pinL

Light pink is of two kinds, the one the ^mc with the Dutch pink, only with greatly kfe colour : the other the fame with thebrcnvn pinks that is, tranipar^nt in oil, but with le& coiovff.

The firft kind like the Dutch pink is only fit for ufing in water ; and there, likewife, only in paintings where the holding of the colour is not of great coniequence.

The other is by fooip ul^d in oil paintings^ iji the iame manner as brown pink ; its tran- fparency making it have a good efFeft in fhadej for fome purpofes ; but it i$ not a judicious pradtice : for all thefe colours formed of vege- tables are very uncertain with refpe<9: to their (landing; and the native earths or prepared okers properly managed will anfwer equally the fame ends.

The preparation of the ,firft kind of light pink may be in the fame manner as that of the Dutch pink j only diminifhing the propor- tion of the French hemes and turmeric to one half.

The light pink may be prepared in the fol- lowing manner.

The

^c

96 Of tke Substances

** Take of French berries one pound. Boil " them with a gallon of water for an hour : and *^ then flrain them off; and add two pounds of ^' pearl-afhes, diflblved and purified by filter- •^ ing through paper. Precipitate with alum ** diflblved in water, by adding the folution " gradually, fb long as any ebullition fhall " appear to be raifed in the mixture. When *^ the fediment has thoroughly fubfided, pour ** off the water from it ; and wafh it with '^ fcvefal renewed quantities of water, pro- *' ceeding as has been before direfted in the ^' cafe of lake, &c. ; and then drain off the ^' remaining fluid in a filter with a paper *' covered with a linnen cloth ; and laftly dry it on boards in fmall fquare pieces." It may be likewife prepared from fuflic wood, yellow fanders, and feveral other vege- table fiibftances, which afl!brd copioufly a yel- low tinge.

The goodncfs of light pink lies pi^incipally in its brightnefa and tranfparency : and, when defigned for the fhops, care (hould be taken that it do not fatten in the oil ; which will happen, if the falts be not thoroughly waftied out of it.

Guml?ogt\

Gumboge is a gum brought from the Eaft Indies. It diflblves in yellow to a milky con- flftence, and is then a bright light yellow. It is ufed only in water : but there is of great

fervicc 5

usEDi^ Painting. gf

fervice, being the principal ; or, indeed, al^ moft the only yellow commonly employed, * Gamboge requires no preparation, but dif* Iblves immediately on rubbing it, with the ad-^ dition of water.

The goodriefs of gamboge m^y bd diftin- guifhed by its appearance while in the ftate of a gum of a deep warm bright colour : and the more it approaches to tranfparency the better*

Of majiicot.

Mafticot is flake white, or white lead, gently calcined ; by which it is changed to a yellow of lighter or deeper teint, according to the de- gree of calcination. It is not greatly ufed at prefent J the, colour not being very bright: but as it will ftand perfedly in oil ; and in wa» ter, as well as flake white, or white lead, it certainly might be ufed for many purpofes > as it works witn the pencil better than mofl: other pigments.

It may be prepared by putting the flake white, or white lead, on an earthen or ftone difli before a ftrong fire \ and continuing it there till the colour be fufficiently yellow ; each fide of the plate being put next to the fire in its turn, that the whole of the mafticot may be equally calcined : or the matter to be cal- cined may be put into a crucible; and the cru- cible placed in a moderate heat in a common fire ; care being taken to remove it as foon as the mafticot appears of a proper colour; which

H muft

98 Of the Substances

muft be diftinguiflied by taking a part of it out, for the colour does not fhew itfelf pro- perly while the matter is hot. The calcina- tion being finiflied, the parts which are of the teint wanted muft be picked out from the reft, and put together : for, with the greateft care, it is difficult to calcine the wJiole equal- ly ; and confequently to avoid rendering fome parts of a deep yellow or orange.

There is no further preparation neceflary for the ufing maflicot either in oil, or water painting, except the grinding it with the vehicle.

Common orpiment.

Common orpiment is a foflile body com- pofed of arfenic and fulphur, with a mixture frequently of lead, and fbmetimes other me- tals. It was formerly ufed as a yellow in painting ; but at prefent is very feldom em- ployed in its unrefined fl^te, unlefs to ccdour the matted bottoms of chairs or other fuch coarfe work. When purified by fubliming, it becomes the king's yellow, of which we have before fpoken. It is of a pale yellow colour, and might be ufefiil for feversd pur- poles, if its naufeous fmell, and fuppo&dly poifonous quality, did not make the meddling with it difagreeable, particularly in oil, where its bad fcent is greatly increafed. The good- nefs of orpiment confifts in the brightnefe and ftrength of its colour ^ and the warmer, or

rather

USED IN Painting. 99

father the lefs iriclining to green, the better it is for the purpofes of painting.

Of galljiones.

Gall fiones are concretions of earthy mat- ter and bile formed in the gall bladder, or bile duifls of beafts. It is ufed by thbfe, who know the fecret of its excellence, in water : with which being rubbed, and treated as gamboge, it becomes a deep warm yellow, that io, its brightnefs and dark fliade, when not too thin fpread, as well as holding its colour, is very Valuable.

As the gall ftones arc not always to be pro- cured, a fiditious kind may be prepared ; which will greatly anfwer the fame purpofe. They may be made in this manner.

" Take a quart of the bile of oxen, as ** frefh as poffible. Put it into a proper " pewter veiTel; and fet it to boil in balneo " mariae ; having added to it a quarter of an *' ounce of clear gum Arabic. Evaporate the " whole to about an eighth; and then remove it " into a China cup or bafon of proper fize ; and *' evaporate it to drynefs -, coileding it into a *^ mafs as it becomes of a ftiff confiftence."

This may be ufed as the gall ftones : and, being more tranfparent, will be found of very great advantage in water painting.

H 2 Terra

100 Of the Substances

Terra de Siena unburnt.

Terra de Siena, as we have faid before, fpeaking of it as a red when calcined, is a na- tive ochrous earth, brought from Italy. In its uncalcined ftate it is a deepifh warm yel- low, and but flightly tranfparent either in oil or water. It is much lefs ufed uncalcined than calcined : but, neverthelefs, as it is a deeper yellow by many degrees than any of the other okers, and of a fuperior brightnefs, it might be ufed with advantage, as it will ftand equally with the bcft.

When terra de Siena is ufed uncaldned, it oughtto be extremely well levigated and wafhed over j otherwife it is apt to lie heavy in the oil ; which is probably die chief reafbn why it is fo feldom ufed in an uncalcined ftate; though as much wanted for fbme purpofes ^s the calcined for others.

Turpetb mineral.

Turpedi mineral is a preparation of mer- cury, by calcining it together with oil of vi- triol. It is an exceflive bright true yellow, of a great body like vermilion ; and will fUnd equally well with that : and it works likewife with oil or water much in the fame manner. Thefe qualities render it very valuable for many purpofes ; as it is much brighter than any other yellow ufed in oil, except king's yel- low;

USED IN Painting. ioi

low 5 and is free from the naufeous fmell of ^at pigment; as well as cooler. This coolnefs, and its bearing to be mixed with Pruflian blue, irom whence a much finer green can be pro- duced by it than from the king s yellow with- out ultramarine, give it, on the whole, greatly the preference. It has not, however, that I know of, been ufed in painting by any except thofe to whom I have recommended it : and •who, on trial, have found it anfwer to what I have here laid of it.

The turpeth mineral may be beft prepared in the following manner.

" Take of pure quickfilver, and oil of vi-

*^ triol, each fix pounds. Put them into a re-

^* tort; to which, being placed in the fand-

^* bath, fit on a receiver; and diftill them with

^^ a ftrong fire, while any fumes appear to rife

** into the receiver; urging it at laft with as

^^ great a heat as the furnace will bear. When

** die retort is again cold, remove it out of the

** fand bath : and, having broken it, take the

*' white mafs, which will be found at the bot-

** torn of it, and break it to a grofs powder ;

** and, having put it in a glafs mortar, pour

*' water on it ; which will immediately con-

*' vert it to a yellow colour. Let it then be

" thoroughly ground in this mortar, with wa-

*' ter, and afterwards wafhed with feveral fuc-

" ceffivc quantities. It muft then be thoroughly

" well levigated on a ftone, and dried."

The turpedi mineral may be had from the fliops of any chemifts or dealers in medicines ; H 3 but

102 Of the Substances but is not at prefent in thofe of ccJlourmen, As it is now to be procured, it requires a pre* vtQ IS levigaiion in water before it be ufed -, bang for the moft part, (though faultily,) levigated for the ufes of the medicine only in a very flight manner. The marks of goodncfe in the turpeth mineral- are the brightnefs of the cb-- lour ; and its fulnefs or warmth : for as it never inclines more to the red than a trub yellow, the lefs it verges on the green, the better it confeqaently is for the purpofes of painting.

Of the yellow wajhfrom the French berries.

This is a folution of the gum of the French berries in water. It is ufed as a wafhing colour in water painting : and as it may be made of alraoft any degree of deepnefs, and is pretty bright, it is applicable to many material pur- pofes, fince nothing can be made of the gam* boge but light tints. This colour will ftand alio extremely well, and being more diluted or laid on thicker, will in confequence of its tran^ fparcncy, give a variety of (h^des.

The yellow-berry- wafh may be thus pre- pared,

^^ Take a pound of the French berries, and " put to them a gallon of water, with half an " ounce of alum, boil them an hour in thtf " pewter vefiel defcribed p. 24, and then fil- " ter off the fluid, (through paper if it be " dpligned for nicer purpofes, or flannel for I " more

USED IN Painting. 103 *^ more ordinary.) Put them again into the '^ boiler and evaporate the fluid till the colour ** appear of the ftrength defired ; or part may *^ be taken out while lefs ftrong, and the reft ^^ evaporated to a proper body."

The goodnefs of the French berries may be <iiftinguiflied by their appearing large, plump, and heavy ; and if they have thefe qualities, the darker they appear the better : but unlefs they are large and plump, the darknefs may only arife from their being gathered before they are duly ripe.

Turmeric wajh.

The turmeric vi^afli is the gum of the tur- meric root diflTolved in water. The qualities and ufcs of it, are much the fame as the yel- low berry-wafti ; only it is a brighter and cooler ydtow ; but fo ftrong a tindure cannot be made of it in water as of the French berries. I It niay be alfo prepared in the fame manner

I as the ftxtner.

Of tinBure of fqffron.

TiniSure of faffron is ufed as a yellow wafti with water colours. It is made by pouring hot water on the beft Englifh fafFron in a proper 0iial or other veflel ; which fliould be placed for fome time in a heat next to that which would nuke the water boil : and the tindure fhould

H 4 then

I

104 , Op the Substances then be filtered from the dregs through a piece of linnen cloth. The proportion of the faf- fron to the water muft be regulated by the intension of having the colour deeper or paler. This tindture is a fine warm yellow ; and when very ftrong makes a very proper ihade for the gamboge or other light yellows that are bright: and it will ftand equally well with any of the vegetable tinftures.

Glass IV. Of green colours.

Of 'uerdigrife.

VERDIGRISE is a ruft or corrofion of copper formed by the ad:ion of fome vegetable acid, commonly that of the fkin and pulp of grapes remaining after they have undergone a preffure for wine. It is brought from Italy hither ; and ufed in moft kinds of painting, where green is required. Verdigrife makes a blue green colour in paint : bjLit is generally ufed with yellow, which by a proper mixture renders it a true green. It is bright when good ; but very foon flies when ufed in oil : but when ufed in water painting it is diflblved previoufly in vinegar; which, in- deed, changing it to another fubftance, rpnders it more durable.

It is needlefs to give any procefs for the making verdigrife ; bccaufe it may be pur- chaled much cheaper than it can be here made : the prefiings of the grapes in countries where

much

USED IN Painting. 105

fnuch wine is made faving the expence of the acid ; which as it muft be vinegar could not be procured here without coft : thefe preflings are rubbed on plates of copper, which are then put in moift places, till a ftrong corrofion or ruft is formed, which beaten or fcraped off is 'die verdigrife.

There is no other preparation of it neceflary to the ufing verdigrife in oil or varnifh, except a fufficient levigation ; but in water painting, as is faid before, it muft be diflblved in vinegar; "when in fa<fl it ceafes to become verdigrife, and is a fait of copper; the fame with the chryflals