Holy Family by Simeone Florentine plaque, gold leaf. Dimensions: 13×16.5″. Made in Italy.
About Florentine Wall Art
Florentine wall art has been around for hundreds of years. When it first developed in the 14th and 15th centuries, in and around Florence, Italy, the gilding with gold leaf of a heavy wood frame was used to highlight an original painting that it surrounded. As prints of originals became more widely available and the demand from the public increased, a more affordable process came about; that of decorating a wood board with gold leaf surrounding the print. In order to make the final outcome as beautiful as possible, a labor intensive process soon developed.
First, a board was cut on which to mount the print, as different shapes of boards worked better with different prints. Next the unfinished wood is coated with a white paste which is allowed to dry. Gold leaf or gold paint is applied to the outer edges of the board.
The gold leafing adds 25-30% to the cost as it contains real gold which adds to the brightness and luster of the piece. The print is glued onto the board and then the real craftsmanship that was developed over many years begins. The reason for applying the white paste in an earlier stage is so that the artisans can use the many different tools that they have to put lasting, physical impressions into the borders surrounding the print. The final touch is then applied, coating the entire piece with a very light antique lacquer to give it an “Old World” feel.
