The Ognissanti Madonna

The Ognissanti Madonna

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Judith and the Head of Holofernes

Judith and the Head of Holofernes

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The Coronation of the Virgin

The Coronation of the Virgin

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Amusements at Higashiyama in Kyoto (detail)

Amusements at Higashiyama in Kyoto (detail)

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Apparition of SS. Peter and Paul to St. Dominic

Apparition of SS. Peter and Paul to St. Dominic

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Crevole Madonna

Crevole Madonna

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Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I

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Scenes from the Nakamura Kabuki Theater

Scenes from the Nakamura Kabuki Theater

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The Virgin and Child with Angels

The Virgin and Child with Angels

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The Annunciation with Two Saints and Four Prophets (detail)

The Annunciation with Two Saints and Four Prophets (detail)

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playlist

Sticks & Stones: Gold Leaf

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Each installment of our Sticks & Stones series presents the history, evolution, and unusual uses of a single material. You can find our article about gold leaf at my.meural.com/editorial/10.

From its earliest use in art, gold has signified a connection to the divine, earning it reverence from cultures around the world. The metal is far too soft to be used in tools, but is extremely easy to shape and mold. It never tarnishes, and it sparkles in the light, which has led it to be closely associated with purity and holiness.

While gold leaf is most immediately associated with Medieval Europe, it has come to occupy a significant place in the world of modern painting as well. Of the modern artists who have employed gold leaf in their work—often to draw connections between their subjects and holy figures venerated in the Medieval era—the most famous is undoubtedly Gustav Klimt. During Klimt’s “golden phase,” he created a series of figurative works with gold leaf that are the most widely celebrated of his entire oeuvre.

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14

Bilbao Fine Arts Museum: Curated Picks

Click to More
20

Sticks & Stones: Ink

Click to More
0

Art&Found: Collection II

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18

Sticks & Stones: Linseed Oil

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Works

The Ognissanti Madonna

The Ognissanti Madonna

Click to More
Judith and the Head of Holofernes

Judith and the Head of Holofernes

Click to More
The Coronation of the Virgin

The Coronation of the Virgin

Click to More
Amusements at Higashiyama in Kyoto (detail)

Amusements at Higashiyama in Kyoto (detail)

Click to More
Apparition of SS. Peter and Paul to St. Dominic

Apparition of SS. Peter and Paul to St. Dominic

Click to More
Crevole Madonna

Crevole Madonna

Click to More
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I

Click to More
Scenes from the Nakamura Kabuki Theater

Scenes from the Nakamura Kabuki Theater

Click to More
The Virgin and Child with Angels

The Virgin and Child with Angels

Click to More
The Annunciation with Two Saints and Four Prophets (detail)

The Annunciation with Two Saints and Four Prophets (detail)

Click to More