dorateur

A dorateur is a craftsman who applies gold leaf or gold powder to surfaces to create a gilded finish, used for decoration, protection, or status. The practice is known as gilding, and dorateurs work in both traditional and modern settings.

There are two primary gilding methods. Water gilding uses a moisture-sensitive adhesive and a bole underlayer, with real gold leaf applied while the sizing is damp. The surface is then burnished to a high shine. Oil gilding uses an oil-based adhesive and does not burnish as intensely, but it is more durable in damp or outdoor environments. Both methods can employ genuine gold leaf (typically 23–24 karat) or metal foils and powders for decorative effects.

Key materials and tools include gold leaf, gold powder for powder gilding, sizing agents (glue for water gilding; oil-based for oil gilding), bole (a red clay underlayer), and a range of implements such as gilder’s brushes, a gilder’s knife, a muller, and an agate burnisher. Surfaces commonly gilded range from wood and plaster to stone and metal, often prepared with a primer and smoothing layer.

The typical process involves surface preparation, application of sizing and bole where appropriate, careful laying of the leaf or scattering of powder, removal of excess leaf, burnishing or patination, and sealing with varnish or lacquer as required. Gilding has a long history in architecture, picture frames, furniture, sculpture, and religious art, with prominent use in Renaissance and Baroque interiors. In modern practice, dorateurs may also employ imitation leaf or contemporary finishes for cost and durability considerations.