Elisabetta Mason

Gilder

©SusannaPozzoli

Preserving the golden touch

Elisabetta is a leading expert of a dying artform
Her father was one of the best-known master gilders in Venice
The art of gilding calls for a decades-long apprenticeship

After graduating in Oriental Languages from Venice's Ca' Foscari University, Elisabetta Mason set about learning the age-old techniques of the art of gilding. She trained under her father Luciano's guidance, inheriting know-how closely guarded by a handful of masters. Elisabetta began working as a gilder in 1989. In her workshop in Santa Croce, she carries out gilding, lacquering and restoration work on objects made of wood, stucco or other materials, bringing lustre and splendour to frames, carvings and sculptures, decorations and elements used to adorn Venetian gondolas. Elisabetta also holds courses on gilding techniques in gouache and oil in her atelier. In so doing, she keeps cherished processes and gestures alive with dedication and professionalism.

Interview

©SusannaPozzoli

©SusannaPozzoli

Do you have any childhood memories of gilding?: From an early age, I was lucky enough to be able to play around with the golden slivers that lift up when the gold leaf is brushed on. Gold leaf is an ultra-fine material which is impalpable to the touch but wonderful to look at.
What kind of relationship do you have with Venice?: In recent years the city has somewhat lost its essence, and has become far more complicated to work in. Delicate and complex restoration work was carried out on the furnishings of magnificent palaces in recent decades, but almost all of them have been turned into tourist accommodation now.
What is something little known about your craft?: The importance of the art of gilding in this city is now completely overlooked. So there is an ever-increasing risk that this art, like many others, is destined to disappear.
What are the main techniques you use?: Gouache for interiors, and oil gilding which can be used for interiors and exteriors alike. With gouache, the gold is applied to a substrate called bole, a rich, clay-like paste that allows the gold to be burnished or made shiny. Oil gilding uses a powerful varnish and oil-based adhesive. It is very hard-wearing, but does not achieve the same sheen as the gouache process.

Elisabetta Mason is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1989