TAA i.3.23.4

                                                         (II)

With reference to <the mechanical gilding and> the prepared surfaces of gesso, M^r A. Lucas

says:- “Beneath the gold when it occurs on wood, there is as 

a rule a coating of white plaster termed “gesso”, which

consists of whiting to which a little glue has been added

to make it cohere. This is identical with the material used

by modern picture-frame makers for plain gilt-mouldings,

gesso being employed instead of plaster of Paris because

this latter is not sufficiently hard to permit of the burnishing

of gold.” (1)

<(1)

See The Tomb of Tut.Ankh.

Amen, Vol. II,

Appendix II, p. 172.

->

<Insert (A)>

          D^r Alexander Scott, in a letter address^sic to me, dated

February 1931, said:- “I believe I have made quite an

interesting discovery concerning the overlying gold leaf and gesso

work upon the sepulchral shrines. I had some small

pieces which I brought away in 1924, and I did observe then

when detaching the gold leaf by means of dilute acid in

order to measure its thickness that there was a semi-transparent 

residue which was practically of the same shape and size

as the piece of gesso. At this time I thought it was only

gelatine or albumen which had been rendered insoluble by

time, etc., and put it down the sink. Repeating the work

about three weeks ago, I made some further experiments 

with another fragment and found this semi-transparent 

residue to the leather, or at least the skin of an animal. This

skin had been embedded in the white powder which seems to be