WO2006059355A1

WO2006059355A1 - Paints for fine arts and painting restoration and relative preparation procedure

Info

Publication number: WO2006059355A1
Application number: PCT/IT2005/000701
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sante Todeschi
Original assignee: Sante Todeschi
Priority date: 2004-11-30
Filing date: 2005-11-29
Publication date: 2006-06-08
Also published as: ITMN20040034A1

Abstract

The invention describes paints for fine arts and painting restoration and the relative preparation procedure particularly recommended to realise the Encausto pictorial technique, which can be executed on both internal and external walls or on wooden supports previously prepared with a ground or on artists’ canvas, also suitably prepared with a ground. The paints essentially comprise a set of chemical substances and colorants in powder form amalgamated with virgin beeswax in a solution with turpentine essence.

Description

DESCRIPTION

"PAINTS FOR FINE ARTS AND PAINTING RESTORATION AND RELATIVE PREPARATION PROCEDURE".

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to paints for fine arts and painting restoration and the relative preparation procedure particularly recommended to realise the Encausto pictorial technique, which can he executed on. both. internaL and external walls or on wooden supports, previously prepared, or on artists' canvas, likewise also suitably prepared. BACKGROUND ART

As it is known, encaustic painting is an ancient pictorial technique based on the use of paints pigmented with wax, applied hot to plaster or boards, and the name 'Encausto' is derived from the Greek 'enkaustos', whose root 'enkaio' means 'to burn'. According to historical knowledge, encaustic painting was probably born at the beginning of human civilization, in Upper Egypt, circa 3600 years ago, reaching its apogee in the greatly renowned Fayum portraits, and, through the colonization of Greece, it also spread throughout Magna Graecia with the Hellenistic culture, leaving important evidence in Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Encausto, therefore, is not an artistic technique belonging to the Greeks or Romans, but to the ancient Egyptians, or is perhaps even older given that the oldest example to have reached us, produced using this technique, is a pillar dating back to 1400 B.C., which is kept in Berlin's Egyptian Museum.

The Encausto pictorial technique has reached us through a fair number of finds but, unfortunately, there is very little information on the formulas or recipe collections for mixing the powder pigments, on how to bind them with the virgin beeswax and how to apply them hot and cold. Modern-day chemists, in order to reconstruct- the formulas of the paints, have greatly researched fragments of both Greek and Roman paintings, which they believed to have been produced using the encaustic technique but without obtaining accurate results as the finds had been produced with mixed techniques. The research carried out stemmed from descriptions left by Vitruvius and Pliny and other authors.

At present, we know that the Egyptians had created and perfected a system to render the wax soluble, as described in certain papyri dating to 1300 B.C., which read "take some wax which is soluble in water... ". Also Serenus Sammonicus, who lived in the II century B.C. told us that the wax became soluble when dissolved in "lye" and Aetius (VI century A. D.) has taught us that it was mixed with walnut oil. Furthermore, Ludius, as Pliny recounts, upon completing his paintings and having left them to dry, would then apply the encaustic technique, following the dictates of Vitruvius. The latter, in his book VII, Chapter IX, wrote that the entire coloured, painted surface must be covered with melted Punic wax mixed with a little oil; a brazier should then be passed over the surface whose heat would make the wax perspire, penetrate the surface and become one with the painting. Lastly, with a candle in one hand, and a cloth in the other, the surface should be rubbed to obtain a shine.

Despite all the information passed down to us through history, the true Encausto technique is still uncertain and it is thought that it was lost altogether in the IV century A. D. In confirmation of this, information handed down from the XVII to the XIX century shows that many scholars, including Caylus and Requeno, were very keen to discover the true Encausto technique of ancient times, carrying out, however, new experiments and producing new Encausto technologies. Despite many attempts and studying of documents from the past, we have obtained diverse information but nothing in writing which clearly states how the paints for the encaustic painting technique were prepared. From the information passed down to us, the particularity of this pictorial technique consists in the fact that, with the passing of the years and centuries, the paints have been conserved in excellent condition, losing none of their shine or brightness and resisting well to atmospheric agents.

Over the centuries it has been noticed that mural frescoes have often been lost, or only a limited number of examples have made it though to this day and age_ In fact,, these are mostly those which have been conserved- in places protected from humidity and deterioration due to atmospheric agents. It is known that no pictorial artefact painted with the fresco technique found on outdoor walls has been conserved.

Another pictorial technique utilises oil paints which, while producing excellent results, has its drawbacks over time. In fact, it is known that oil painting, with the passing of the years, blackens and grows dark, and proves to be vulnerable to the sun's ultraviolet rays, which eat away, for instance, the cadmium yellows and the reds, and especially cobalt blue, causing the entire painting to fade away little by little and irreversibly. A further characteristic of oil paints is that they have extremely long drying times, which leads to considerably slow painting production, as well as the fact that what often occurs is that the paints are stained by the other paints below them, creating annoying smearing. In addition to the above, oil paints often prove to be difficult to amalgamate together to obtain harmonious colour shades. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The aim of this invention is essentially to solve the problems of the commonly known technique, overcoming the drawbacks described above by means of paints for fine arts and painting restoration which may be put to use in the Encausto pictorial technique.

A second aim of this invention is to produce paints for fine arts and painting restoration which are capable of maintaining their brightness and brilliance over time. A third aim of this invention is to produce paints for fine arts and painting restoration capable of remaining stable, immutable in time and resist extremely well the dangers of humidity and atmospheric agents. A further aim of this invention is to produce paints for fine arts and painting restoration capable of offering the artist notable mixing ease since said paints are all mutually compatible. A still further aim of this invention is to produce paints for fine arts and painting restoration which can be extremely doughy, ductile and versatile, and which do not allow the other colours already used in the painting to be 'stained'. A further aim of this invention arises from the fact that said paints for fine arts and painting restoration offer extremely fast drying times. A further but not final aim of this invention is to produce paints for fine arts and painting restoration and the relative preparation procedure which are simple to produce and work well.

These and still further aims, which will better emerge in the description that follows, are essentially achieved by the paints for fine arts and painting restoration and the relative preparation procedure outlined in the claims that follow. These characteristics and other advantages will better emerge in the detailed description that follows of the paints for fine arts and painting restoration and the relative preparation procedure according to this invention. To better illustrate the composition of the paints for producing works according to the Encausto technique, it has been decided to provide a rough outline of the cultural and experimental course followed by the applicant and provide certain comments on the materials and the historical rudiments of the Encausto technique acquired by the same person.

In actual fact, the applicant, with his ten years of experience and following in-depth research, has concluded that the Encausto pictorial technique is a form of oil painting with a virgin beeswax base, in which the wax is the main binder. It differs from the so-called 'cold' wax technique by the fact that the binder is combined with the coloured pigment by means of heat, while in the cold technique this is brought about by diluting the wax with a solvent. In particular, of all the animal waxes, the most important for Encausto painting is beeswax. In fact, a good quality virgin beeswax always possesses the characteristic odour of honey, has a granular structure, is cuiiable with a knife and, when pressed between the fingers, little by little becomes softer, but always maintaining a certain hardness. In more detail, beeswax is insoluble in cold alcohol but soluble in boiling alcohol, from which it then separates when it cools. Beeswax dissolves when heated in turpentine essence, white spirit, benzol, petrol, and in organic solvents in general. Its melting point is around 62°- 63°. In ancient times, the Egyptians used to mix the paints with wax diluted with natural oil, which they were already familiar with.

In particular, the applicant himself recounted in one of his works: "Since my youth, having already had experience from as far back as 1944-45 in fresco and mural painting, or alternatively, Casein painting, I began to produce my stucco plasters by mixing gilding chalk, lithopone and white lead, blended with virgin beeswax dissolved with white spirit, with added copal, onto which, I then painted portraits, landscapes and horses. Later on, I started painting with oils, on canvases that I prepared and on wooden boards, Masonite and plywood. I spent decades decorating the walls of private country houses, but above all, creating great series of frescoes in monumental churches, like St Michel's in San SaJvI₇ Florence, and in many other Italian cities and also abroad. From this great wealth of pictorial, cultural and scientific experience I learnt to hone, day after day, my knowledge and my direct experience of the quality of Encausto, and through long and inexorable experimentation of various materials and essences, I reached an in-depth awareness of the secrets of the Ancient Egyptian, Minoan-Mycenaean and Hellenistic plasters, but most determining of all was the analyses of the paintings produced by the Greek orthodox monks of Mount Atos. But it was London 's National Gallery, during one of my lengthy stays in England, that revealed to me the art of the Fayum civilisation, with its portraits. This Egyptian portrait painting from the Roman age retains the aesthetic tradition of Hellenism, which had flourished under the influence of the great Greek painters who lived between the V and VI centuries B. C. The most distinguished Encausto artist was Pausias, who lived in the IV century B. C. It is interesting to note how Pliny, when describing him, also remembers the sculptor Prassitele as an encaustic artist at the same time, as he painted his statues with the "gάnosis " technique. The encaustic process applied to statues painted with melted wax-based paints was also in use in Lisippo 's atelier.

Ships were also Encausto painted. In fact, the painting in this case was for waterproofing purposes and was purely decorative, not narrative. Therefore, it must have consisted in paints (cinnabar red in colour) applied with large spatulas to cover the sides and keels, to liven up the swamps with bright colour, perhaps even to outline large apotropaic eyes on the bows. In this case, the large metal spatulas used were more than sufficient to apply the paints well, to press them and make them adhere to the ship 's wooden planking. The second way of painting, the "in ebore ce-stro " technique, wus reserved, meanwhile, for finer painting, for the pictures on ivory, like the miniatures, and on wooden tablets, and on linen fabric, and this was why a rather fine small metal spatula was necessary, which had to be flat on one side to spread the colours and to have a point on the other side which enabled the necessary pictorial finishings. For this kind of painting, the colours did not need to be completely liquefied, the wax and paint amalgam simply required a certain plasticity which could be obtained with an extremely moderate heat. With the third method, in which the colour had to be applied with a paintbrush, and which constituted a very notable technical advance, the paints had to be liquefied at the time they were used and had to remain in this state until they were definitively applied to the painting 's support: that is why braziers were needed and metal palettes with pots for the paints, which were likely to be placed on the fire_y as shown in the Kerc sarcophagus and the grave of St. Mέdard-des-Pres.

Well, the great Greek and Hellenistic artists had discovered, like the Ancient Egyptian ones, that paints applied to the keels of ships and to statues resisted the sun, saltiness, winds and bad weather; these benefits could not be obtained with fresco painting, nor with tempera painting, which were liable to deteriorate outside and only resistant indoors if there was no humidity. In Pompeian painting, above all in the series in the Villa dei Misteri and in the Villa del Satiro, there is a surface brightness which is attributable solely to the. final varnishing process which the painted plaster underwent after the oxidisation process was complete, i. e. the carbonation. Therefore, these promiscuous frescoes have the same feature as the encaustic painting or wax varnishing described by Pliny and Vitruvius.

The technique practised in the Fayum wooden tablets is, in the majority of cases, encaustic painting, produced on a ground which is, in many cases, a white stucco, probably kaolin, which was already known in remote ages, both in Egyptian and Minoan-Mycenaean times. The paint is applied with rapid brushstrokes, while the details, above all the face, are taken care of later, with a small wooden or metal spatula which allows greater delicacy. These portraits have their origins in the Pharaonw tradition but the style and technique with which they were executed derive from the Greco-Roman artistic tradition. From the 1st century A. D. onwards, the masks on the faces of the mummies, which were made of chalk or stucco, were replaced with portraits painted on wooden tablets. There are approximately six hundred Fayum portraits in total nowadays, many of which are kept at the Museum in Cairo, the Louvre, in museums in Berlin, Vienna, and Moscow, at New York 's Metropolitan Museum, at the Archaeological Museum in Florence and at Rome 's Barraco Museum. In my nomadic lifetime, spent wandering through the lands of the world, I have had the opportunity to study a large part of this artistic and figurative heritage, which has broadened my knowledge infinitely and exposed me to endless aesthetic and cultural experiences. With every new experience I also had to experiment with the grounds on which to paint with the encaustic technique, and after innumerable trials and errors I found that the best absorbent preparation was the stucco prepared. with casein putty mixed with gilding chalk, or Meudon white, with the addition of rabbit skin glue and a little skimmed milk, which I used to spread with a steel spatula, on either a jute canvas or, in most cases, on wooden tablets mounted on a frame; I would apply a second layer the following day, adding a little Siena natural earth and, last of all, a third layer of stucco with a little red earth added to give it the appearance of a cloudy, variegated ground. On this ground, I drew, with both wax pastels and oil pastels, the entire composition I wished to produce and then proceeded to paint the rough draft with delicate layers, distempering, with Venetian turpentine, the colours pigmented with wax. When necessary I also used steel spatulas, modulating the denser paint, above alt in the spots where the light modelled the forms and dimensions.

The beauty of this technique consists in its innate, infinite capacity to enrich the colouring by overlaying the paints hnmediately_y layer over layer, without risking staining the existing tonalities: this is not possible with other pictorial techniques, such as oil painting, or tempera painting or with water colours ".

The composition of the paints derives directly from generally known components but which are measured out and mixed to create & new product with particular characteristics which are better illustrated below and which are the result of very many years of study, research, tests and experiments by the Applicant.

In more detail, the term 'EFKA solution' mentioned below refers to a particular resin which acts as a binder, together with the turpentine essence.

Moreover, the term "wax solution" refers to pure virgin beeswax, which is yellowish in colour, opportunely dissolved with heat and turpentine essence.

Moreover, the term "white wax solution" refers to pure virgin beeswax, of the type for pharmaceutical or cosmetic use, i.e. refined, dissolved with heat and turpentine essence.

The term 'Tixotrol plus' refers to a generally known product which acts as a thickening agent.

The paints for fine arts and painting restoration in question are essentially composed of a set of chemical substances and colorants, i.e. some of the finest colouring materials in powder form currently available on the world market, in certain percentages, as listed below.

1) Titanium White:

- 30 g of Zinc White,

- 50 g of titanium dioxide, - 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 0.01 g of Ultramarine Blue, abbreviation 08,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence. 2) Naples Yellow Light:

- 20 g of Nickel Yellow,

- 30 g of titanium dioxide,

- lg of OJF.G., - 30 g of Zinc White,

- 30 g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, - 10 g of turpentine essence.

3) Naples Yellow Reddish:

- 30 g of Zinc White,

- 40 g of titanium dioxide,

- 1 g of Orange Dubloxid 108, - 0.2 g of O. F. G.,

- 30 g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution,

- 10 g of turpentine essence. 4) Cadmium Yellow Light:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Yellow,

- 30 g of k 303 solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus, - 3O g of white wax solution,

- 5 g of turpentine essence.

5) Cadmium Yellow Medium:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Yellow Medium, - 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

6) Cadmium Yellow Dark: - 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Yellow Dark,

- 3O g of EFKA solution, * 3 g of Tixotrol plus, - 30 g of white wax solution,

- 10 g of turpentine essence. 7) Cadmium Orange:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate), - 35 g of Cadmium Orange,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 3O g of white wax solution,

- 5 g of turpentine essence, 8) Cadmium Red Light:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Red Light:

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus, - 30 g of wax solution,

1O g of turpentine essence.

9) Cadmium Red Medium:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate), - 35 g of Cadmium Red:

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1 O g of turpentine essence. 10) Cadmium Red Dark:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Red: - 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus, - 3O g of white wax solution,

1O g of turpentine essence, i n Cold Pink:

- 30 g of Zinc White, - 40 g of titanium dioxide,

- 2 g of Cinnabar Red or Vermilion,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus, - 3O g of white wax solution,

10 g of turpentine essence.

12) Magenta Lake:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate), 12 g of Pigment Pink, - 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution,

- 1O g of turpentine essence.

13) Carmine: - 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 15 g of Carmine Red FB,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white, wax solution, - 10 g of turpentine essence.

14) Madder Lake Dark:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate), 12 g of Madder Lake,

- 30 g of EFKA solution, - 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

15) Cobalt Red Reddish:

- 20 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate), - 10 g of Cobalt Violet Reddish,

- 0.160 g of Pigment Pink,

- 1.6 g of Magenta 21,

- 1 g of zinc, - 0.5 g of Ultramarine Blue, abbreviation 08,

- 30 g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution. 16) Violet Lake:

- 4 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Violet Lake:

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus, - 3O g of white wax solution,

10 g of turpentine essence.

17) Prussia Blue:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Milori Blue, - 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 10 g of turpentine essence.

18) Ultramarine Blue; - 35 g of Ultramarine Blue, abbreviation 08,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1 O g of turpentine essence.

19) Cobalt Blue:

- 20 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 50 g of Cobalt Blue:

- 30 g of EFKA solution, - 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution,

- 10 g of turpentine essence.

20) Cerulean Blue: - 20 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 40 g of Cerulean Blue,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus, - 30 g of white wax solution,

- 1O g of turpentine essence.

21) Seyres Blue:

- 2O g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 40 g of Cerulean Blue, - 3 g of zinc sulphide,

- 30 g of K303 solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 10 g of turpentine essence. (This colour tonality created by the Applicant is new in painting).

22) Turquoise:

- 20 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 40 g of Meteor 9530,

- 30 g of EFKA solution, - 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution,

- 1O g of turpentine essence.

23) Veronese Green:

- 30 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate), - 15 g of Green Rust,

- 20 g of Cerulean Blue_^

1 g of Cadmium Yellow Light,

- 9 g of zinc sulphide,

- 30 g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence, - 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 3O g of white wax solution,

- 10 g of turpentine essence.

24) Emerald Green: - 35 g of Green Rust,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, - 10 g of turpentine essence.

25) Cadmium Green Light:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Yellow,

- 0.4 g of Green 7, - 3O g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution,

- 5 g of turpentine essence.

26) Chromium Oxide Green: - 5O g of Chromium Oxide Green,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution.

27) Bladder Green: - 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Green 8,

- 10 g of Yellow 83,

- 30 g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus, - 30 g of white wax solution,

- 15 g of turpentine essence..

28) Yellow Ochre Light:

- 25 g of O.F.G.,

- 35 g of titanium dioxide, - 3O g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1 O g of turpentine essence.. 29) Roman Ochre:

- 25 g of Siena Natural Earth,

- 2 g of Burnt Siena Earth,

- 30 g of EFKA solution, - 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

30) Siena Natural Earth:

- 12.5 g of Siena Natural Earth, - 12.5 g of Natural Ochre,

- 30 g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence. 31 ) Burnt Umber Earth:

- 25 g of Burnt Umber Earth,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, - 1O g of turpentine essence.

32) Jew's Pitch:

- 25 g of powder pigment- asphaltum,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus, - 3O g of white wax solution,

- 1O g of turpentine essence,

(This colour tonality, created by the Applicant, is new in painting).

33) Natural Umber Earth:

- 25 g of Natural Umber Earth, - 3O g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence. 34) Burnt Umber Earth:

- 4 g of Burnt Umber Earth,

- 20 g of Burnt Siena Earth,

- 30 g of wax solution, - 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of cured wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

35) Van Dyck Brown (bitumen):

19 g of bitumen concentrate, - 17.7 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution,

In particular, the bitumen concentrate is composed, in its turn, of 30% gilsonite and 70% turpentine essence. 36) Ivory Black:

- 25 g of Ivory Black,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, - 15 g of turpentine essence.

In particular, the compositions illustrated previously constitute the 36 colour tonalities that constitute the fundamental base for encaustic painting. In more detail, to create other tonalities, it is sufficient to amalgamate the colours illustrated previously to obtain new colour shades. Furthermore, the weights illustrated for the diverse components are indicative for the preparation of a small quantity, which must be multiplied to prepare larger quantities, in addition to the fact that they must also be considered a range around which to vary the doses. According to this invention, the preparation of each colour envisages the following phases:

- a first phase in which virgin beeswax must be melted in a bain-marie at 62° (both the natural wax and the decanted and purified wax for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use);. - a second phase in which pure turpentine essence is added in opportune percentages depending on whether the "wax solution" or the "white wax solution" must be obtained;

- a third phase in which a solution is obtained of such a kind that it allows diverse powder pigments, depending on the colour to be created, to be ground and amalgamated cold in special roller grinders;

- a fourth phase, in which the grinding is executed, whose duration differs for each colour according to the molecular structure of the powders and can last from 1 hour to approximately 1 and a half hours; - a fifth phase in which it is left to cool to disperse the heat accumulated during the grinding phase;

- a sixth pha&e in which tests are executed out to verify the qualitative characteristics of each colour obtained;

- a final phase in which the paint is packaged in tubes or pots or another container by hermetical means.

As mentioned in advance previously, the procedure for creating the paints in question envisages a series of further phases to verify the qualitative characteristics of each paint, which are:

- a kiln test: a crystal pot containing the paint to be verified is placed in a kiln at approximately 200° for a period of 30-40 minutes to evaluate the amalgamation quality of the diverse components in the paint under examination;

- a cooling phase following extraction from the kiln;

- a plasticity test: an evaluation is effected of the plastic state and the density of the paint obtained;

- a pictorial test: on a suitably prepared ground,, by means of the layering technique, said test consisting in dissolving, on a suitable white Formica palette, a little paint with a suitable "medium" (diluent composed of resin and turpentine essence), to evaluate the covering quality and the delicacy of the paint in the layer.

In accordance with this invention, to use the paints illustrated previously in the best way possible, it is necessary to prepare a ground preparation to apply to either a support such as a wall or a wooden board or to a canvas. The ground preparation is divided into the following two categories: a fine ground and a plaster-type ground. The composition of the fine ground is:

- 76 g of water, - 3O g of LW 44 1 :7 solution (a commonly known resin),

- 4 g of AMP 95% (a commonly known resin),

- 2 g of inhibitor,

- 2 g of Preventol (a preservative),

- 50 g of titanium, - 250 g of fine quartz,

- 56 g of thickening agent (constituted of 24g of Till gel mixed with 32 g of water),

- 240 g of prime M474D (a commonly known acrylic resin),

- 20 g of butylglycol, - 4 g of Denydran (an antifoam agent).

The composition of the plaster-type ground is:

- 76 g of water,

- 30 g of LW 44 1 :7 solution (a commonly known resin),

- 4 g of AMP 95% (a commonly known resin), - 2 g of inhibitor,

- 2 g of Preventol (a preservative),

- 50 g of titanium,

125 g of rough quartz,

- 125 g of fine sand, - 56 g of thickening agent (constituted of 24g of Till gel mixed with 32 g of water),

- 240 g of prime M474D (a commonly known acrylic resin),

- 20 g of butylglycol,

- 4 g of Denydran (an antifoam agent). The statements above referring to the weights of the components of the paints also apply to the components of the ground.

After this predominantly structural description, there will now follow a description of the invention's functioning. When an artist wishes to create a painting, he must prepare the surface by applying a ground which determines the so-called 'bed' of the Encausto. In particular, to apply the ground, the artist must simply apply two or three coats (3 coats is ideal) of preparation to the support of his choice. Once the ground has been laid and left to dry, all the artist has to do is-, with a small spatula, take a little of the paint paste, which has a soft consistency, and place it on a Formica palette or a white lacquered metal palette. Once the desired colours have been placed on the palette, the artist can use the paints either diluted with suitable media (diluents) for example for layering, or grease, or alternatively, using it directly with no dilution. The colour can also be spread with a spatula, as the artists from the Fayum civilisation used to do.

Furthermore, the artist can amalgamate one colour with other colours to create colours in different shades. At this point, after preparing the paints, all the artist has to do is to execute his sketch and paint with the technique preferred such as, for example, with a paintbrush, spatula etc., in the commonly known manner. Once the painting is complete and has dried, the artist must apply the encaustic technique using a final protective varnish, which can have either a satin or gloss finish, composed of cured white virgin beeswax dissolved in resin and pure alcohol at 95°.

Once the encaustic procedure is complete, and after drying, approximately a couple of hours, one can proceed by polishing with a soft cloth. The surface obtained remains unaltered over the years and protects the painting against the risk of scratching or physical alterations caused by external elements such as humidity, ultraviolet rays and the cold. In this way this invention achieves the aims set.

In fact, the paints for fine arts and painting restoration in question in this invention, with the relative ground, allow the realisation of the encaustic pictorial technique.

Advantageously, the paints in question in this invention are stable, immutable in time and resist extremely well the dangers of humidity and the atmospheric agents due to the presence of the beeswax, which - since it is a natural product - allows optimal protection of the painted surface and this is demonstrated by the condition in which the 700 works of the Fayum civilisation have been conserved for over 2000 years.

Furthermore the paints in question remain stable over time and do not deteriorate even inside the tube or container in which they are kept and are, likewise, able to maintain their brightness and brilliance over time and to have a superior brightness to that of oil paints.

In addition to the above, the paints for fine arts and painting restoration according to this invention are capable of offering the artist notable amalgamation and mixing ease, unlike the currently known technique applied to both oil and acrylic paints. These paints prove to be ideal for painting restoration on both boards and canvases and also for wall paintings since the film of restored colour can be removed with great facility by simply heating it up using, for example, a hairdryer. Advantageously, the paints for fine arts and painting restoration prove to be extremely doughy, ductile and versatile, in addition to the fact that it proves to be extremely difficult to 'stain' the other colours already used.

A further advantage of the paints for fine arts and painting restoration according to this invention is that it they offer extremely fast drying times, allowing them to render the painting available in a much shorter time than, for example, oil paints.

A further but not final advantage of this invention is that it proves to be easy to use, simple to realise and works well.

Naturally, numerous modifications and variants can be applied to this invention while still remaining within the scope of the invention as claimed herein.

Claims

1) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that said paints comprise, essentially, a set of chemical substances and colorants in powder form amalgamated with virgin beeswax in a solution with turpentine essence.

2) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Titanium White is composed of:

- 30 g of Zinc White,

- 50 g of titanium dioxide,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 0.01 g of Ultramarine Blue, abbreviation 08,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

3) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Naples Yellow Light is composed of:

- 20 g of Nickel Yellow,

- 30 g of titanium dioxide,

- Ig of O. F. G.,

- 30 g of Zinc White,

- 30 g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 10 g of turpentine essence.

4) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Naples Yellow Reddish is composed of:

- 30 g of Zinc White,

- 40 g of titanium dioxide,

- 1 g of Orange Dubloxid 108,

- 0.2 g of O.F.G.,

- 30 g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus, - 30 g of white wax solution,

- 1O g of turpentine essence.

5) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Cadmium Yellow Light is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Yellow,

- 30 g of k 303 solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution,

- 5 g of turpentine essence.

6) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Cadmium Yellow Medium is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Yellow Medium,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

7) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Cadmium Yellow Dark is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Yellow Dark,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 10 g of turpentine essence.

8) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Cadmium Orange is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Orange,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, - 5 g of turpentine essence.

9) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Cadmium Red Light is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Red Light:

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

10) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Cadmium Red Medium is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Red, - 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

11) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Cadmium Red Dark is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Red:

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

12) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Cold Pink is composed of:

- 30 g of Zinc White,

- 40 g of titanium dioxide,

- 2 g of Cinnabar Red or Vermilion,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus, - 30 g of white wax solution, 10 g of turpentine essence.

13) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Magenta Lake is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 12 g of Pigment Pink,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

14) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Carmine is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 15 g of Carmine Red FB,

- 3O g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 10 g of turpentine essence. i 5) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Madder Lake Dark is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate), 12 g of Madder Lake,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

16) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Cobalt Red Reddish is composed of:

- 20 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 10 g of Cobalt Violet Reddish,

- 0.16 g of Pigment Pink, 1.6 g of Magenta 21,

1 g of zinc, - 0.5 g of Ultramarine Blue, abbreviation 08,

- 30 g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution.

17) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Violet Lake is composed of:

- 4 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Violet Lake,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

18) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Prussia Blue is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Miϊori Blue,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

19) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Ultramarine Blue is composed of:

- 35 g of Ultramarine Blue, abbreviation 08,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

20) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Cobalt Blue is composed of:

- 20 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 50 g of Cobalt Blue,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

21) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Cerulean Blue is composed of:

- 20 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 40 g of Cerulean Blue,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution,

- 1O g of turpentine essence.

22) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Sevres Blue is composed of: 0 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 40 g of Cerulean Blue,

- 3 g of zinc sulphide,

30 g of K303 solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 10 g of turpentine essence.

23) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Turquoise is composed of:

- 20 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 40 g of Meteor 9530,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution,

- 5 g of turpentine essence.

24) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Veronese Green is composed of:

- 30 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate), 15 g of Green Rust,

- 20 g of Cerulean Blue,

- 1 g of Cadmium Yellow Light, - 9 g of zinc sulphide,

- 30 g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

25) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Emerald Green is composed of:

- 35 g of Green Rust,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

26) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Cadmium Green Light is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Cadmium Yellow,

- 0.4 g of Green 7,

- 3O g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution,

- 5 g of turpentine essence.

27) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Chromium Oxide Green is composed of:

- 50 g of Chromium Oxide Green,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution.

28) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Bladder Green is composed of:

- 35 g of Fixed White (calcium carbonate),

- 35 g of Green 8,

- 10 g of Yellow 83,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 15 g of turpentine essence.

29) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Yellow Ochre Light is composed of:

- 25 g of O.F.G.,

- 35 g of titanium dioxide,

- 30 g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 10 g of turpentine essence.

30) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised hy the fact that the colour Roman Ochre is composed of:

- 25 g of Siena Natural Earth,

- 2 g of Burnt Siena Earth,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 10 g of turpentine essence.

31) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Sienna Natural Earth is composed of:

12.5 g of Siena Natural Earth, 12.5 g of Natural Ochre,

- 30 g of EFKA solution diluted 50/50 with turpentine essence,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution,

- 10 g of turpentine essence.

32) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Burnt Umber Earth is composed of:

- 25 g of Burnt Umber Earth,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, - 1O g of turpentine essence.

33) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Jew's Pitch is composed of:

- 25 g of powder pigment- asphaltum,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

34) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Natural Umber Earth is composed of:

- 25 g of Natural Umber Earth,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 10 g of turpentine essence.

35) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Burnt Umber Earth is composed of:

- 4 g of Burnt Umber Earth,

- 20 g of Burnt Siena Earth,

- 30 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of cured wax solution, 1O g of turpentine essence.

36) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Van Dyck Brown (bitumen) is composed of:

19 g of bitumen concentrate,

- 17.7 g of EFKA solution,

- 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution.

37) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that the colour Ivory Black is composed of:

- 25 g of Ivory Black,

- 30 g of EFKA solution, - 3 g of Tixotrol plus,

- 30 g of white wax solution, 15 g of turpentine essence.

38) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration according to claim 36, characterised by the fact that the bitumen concentrate in the colour called Van Dyck Brown is composed of 30% gilsonite and 70% turpentine essence.

39) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that the term 'EFKA solution' refers to a particular resin which acts as a binder, together with the turpentine essence.

40) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that the term "wax solution" refers to pure virgin beeswax, which is yellowish in colour, opportunely dissolved with heat and turpentine essence.

41) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that the term "white wax solution" refers to virgin beeswax, of the type for pharmaceutical or cosmetic use, refined, dissolved with heat and turpentine essence.

42) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that for each colour the following preparation phases are envisaged;

- a first phase in which virgin beeswax must be melted in a bain-marie at 62° (both the natural wax and the decanted and purified wax for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use);

- a second phase in which pure turpentine essence is added in opportune percentages depending on whether the "wax solution" or the "white wax solution" must be obtained;

- a fourth phase, in which the grinding is executed, whose duration differs for each colour according to the molecular structure of the powders and can last from 1 hour to approximately 1 and a half hours;

- a fifth phase in which it is left to cool to disperse the heat accumulated during the grinding phase; - a sixth phase in which tests are executed out to verify the qualitative characteristics of each paint obtained;

43) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration according to claim 42, characterised by the fact that the testing phase to verify the qualitative characteristics of each paint envisages a kiln test, a plasticity test and pictorial test.

44) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration according to claim 43, characterised by the fact that the said kiln test consist in placing a crystal pot containing the paint to be verified in a kiln at approximately 200⁰C for a period of 30-40 minutes to evaluate the amalgamation quality of the diverse components in the paint under examination.

45) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration according to claim 43, characterised by the fact that said plasticity test consists in an evaluation of the plastic state and the density of the paint obtained.

46) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration according to claim 43, characterised by the fact that said pictorial test consists in painting to evaluate the covering quality and the delicacy of the paint in the layer after placing, on a suitably prepared ground on a white Formica palette, a little paint with a suitable "medium" (diluent composed of resin and turpentine essence).

47) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration according to claim 43, characterised by the fact that between the kiln phase and the plasticity test, the paints undergo a cooling phase following extraction from the kiln.

48) Paints for fine arts and painting restoration characterised by the fact that, to use the paints in the best way possible, it is necessary to prepare a ground preparation to apply to either a support such as a wall or a wooden board or a canvas.

49) Paints for fine arts and painting according to claim 48, characterised by the fact that the said ground preparation is divided into two types: a fine ground and a plaster-type ground.

50) Paints for fine arts and painting according to claim 49, characterised by the fact that the composition of the fine ground is:

- 76 g of water,

- 30 g of LW 44 1 :7 solution (a commonly known resin),

- 4 g of AMP 95% (a commonly known resin), - 2 g of inhibitor,

- 2 g of Preventol (a preservative),

- 50 g of titanium,

- 250 g of fine quartz,

- 56 g of thickening agent (constituted of 24 g of Till gel mixed with 32 g of water),

- 240 g of prime M474D (a commonly known acrylic resin),

- 20 g of butylglycol,

- 4 g of Denydran (an antifoam agent).

51) Paints for fine arts and painting according to claim 49, characterised by the fact that the composition of the plaster-type ground is:

- 76 g of water,

- 30 g of LW 44 1 :7 solution (a commonly known resin),

- 4 g of AMP 95% (a commonly known resin),

- 2 g of inhibitor,

- 2 g of Preventol (a preservative),

- 50 g of titanium,

125 g of rough quartz,

- 125 g of fine sand,

- 240 g of prime M474D (a commonly known acrylic resin),

- 20 g of butylglycol,

- 4 g of Denydran (an antifoam agent).