Gold Rings

Course Description

The use of gold in art has a long tradition. Originally pure gold was used in paintings as gold leaf which was obtained by hammering gold coins into sheets so thin that they appeared weightless. It can be found as a background in many icons and in religious painting to denote the majesty of heaven and was used for halos or to add a sparkle to robes or hair. But real gold has an unnatural look, which explains why it was used in this context; to emphasize the difference between the temporal and spiritual plains.

It was only during the Renaissance and then in the masterful still life paintings by Dutch masters that artists discovered a way of depicting the brilliance of gold objects using ordinary pigments and a great deal of skill.