11 INPAINTING A DAMAGE IN AN EARLY TEMPERA PAINTING

Again the structure is first established. Then the panel is repaired, and the damage filled with gesso, which must be filed flat with cuttlefish bone and burnished with an agate.

All inpainting is done in egg tempera. First the drawing which must match the original in color and character. If there is any gilding necessary, the red bolus is now applied and burnished, then the gold leaf is applied and burnished and stamped.

The underpaint is applied in a flat wash, terre verte under the skin tones, and often a light yellow under the garments. Skies are rarely underpainted because the painter relies on the brilliant white of the gesso for luminosity.

The undermodelling is then applied in single fine open strokes, allowing some of the green underpaint to show through to provide the cool transitions. (As tempera is a very covering medium, the turbid medium effect cannot operate to make cool transitions).

Finally the colors are glazed on, as shown on Plate 4.