The materials and making process of the relief painting technique of ‘applied-brocade’ in the Basque country.

Abstract

The painted decoration of applied-brocade, more accurately described as applied tin-relief brocade, became a popular decorative technique in most of Europe, including Spain, from the middle of the fifteenth century to the middle of the sixteenth century. Instigated by the lack of thorough studies of the technique, in 2009 a PhD thesis regarding the analysis of the applied-brocades of Gipuzkoa was completed. This led to a broader research project that aims for a classification of the different types of decoration patterns and a description of the making procedures throughout the years of the applied-brocades on the altarpieces of the Basque country, northern Spain. Relevant documentary sources and laboratory work support this research. This paper presents the stylistic and material-technical study of a group of seven altarpieces. The similarities between certain decoration patterns show the close relationships among the workshops of a defined geographical area.