Ochre Verre Eglomise Mirror

Gesso and burnished bole frame with verre eglomise mirror. Each mirror is hand gilded and therefore unique - images are a guide only as each piece will vary.

Verre eglomise is silver leaf gilded on to glass • each leaf is laid side by side hence the pattern of squares on
the surface • the silver leaf is left to dry, then steamed and burnished in order to enhance the reflective quality
of the surface • it is sealed with lacquer to prevent the silver from tarnishing • it is a very time consuming
process, but the resulting mirror is delicate and beautiful.

Gesso and bole is the base usually prepared for water gilding; the technique is centuries old • six to eight layers of gesso, and then three to four layers of bole (which is a mixture of natural earth pigments and gelatin
glue) are applied whilst warm • each layer of the gesso, and each layer of the bole is finely sanded, and then the last layer of bole is burnished.