Gold Leaf
Very thin sheets of gold used to decorate paintings, frames, and sculptures.
What is it?
Gold leaf is gold that has been hammered into extremely thin sheets. It is so thin that it can be easily blown away. Artists use it to add a shiny, golden surface to their work. In the 1400s, many Italian painters like Carlo Crivelli used gold leaf for the backgrounds of religious paintings. The gold made the holy figures look heavenly and important. Gold leaf was also used on picture frames and in architecture.
Why it matters
Gold leaf shows how artists used precious materials to make their art special. It also tells us about the wealth and beliefs of the time.
Where you've seen it
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