Gilding
A technique of covering an object with a thin layer of gold to make it look shiny and valuable.
What is it?
Gilding is the process of applying gold to a surface. There are different methods: gold leaf (hammered gold sheets), gold paint, or mercury gilding (mixing gold with mercury and heating it). In ancient China, gilding was used on bronze statues to make them look like solid gold. The gilt bronze statue of Maitreya is an example. Gilding protects the metal and makes the object beautiful. The statue you saw uses mercury gilding, a common technique in Chinese Buddhist sculpture.
Why it matters
Gilding shows the skill of ancient craftsmen. It also shows that the object was important and precious. Many religious statues were gilded to honor the gods.
Where you've seen it
This list grows as you capture more gilded objects.
