Gold leaf is gold metal that has been beaten into very thin sheets or leaves. It is often used to decorate the surface of picture frames and furniture and to letter signs on windows. Gold is preferred to other metals because it is not brittle and does not rust or tarnish. Gold leaf is applied to a previously smoothed surface by a process called gilding. First, an adhesive material called gold size is applied to the surface. Then, the gilder places the leaf on the surface with a wide, soft-hair brush called a gilder’s tip. When the gold size dries, the gold leaf sticks permanently and makes the surface look like solid gold.
Gold leaf was used in ancient times in Greece, Rome, the Middle East, and Asia. From the Middle Ages to the early Renaissance, artists in Europe and the Byzantine Empire often covered the background of their pictures with it. Today, artists rarely use gold leaf.
