Alberti, Leone Battista, Architecture, 1755

Table of figures

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              <s>
                <pb xlink:href="003/01/150.jpg" pagenum="126"/>
              ſpread on, or faſtened to the Work. </s>
              <s>Stuc and
                <lb/>
              Plaiſter are ſpread on; but Stuc is never good
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              but in very dry Places. </s>
              <s>The Moiſture trick­
                <lb/>
              ling down from old Walls is extremely preju­
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              dicial to all Sorts of Incruſtations. </s>
              <s>Theſe In­
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              cruſtations which are faſtened to the Work are
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              Stone, Glaſs and the like. </s>
              <s>The different Sorts
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              of Incruſtations which are ſpread on are either
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              flat White, Baſs-relieve, or painted in Freſco.
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              </s>
              <s>Thoſe which are faſtened on, are either plain,
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              pannelled or teſſelated. </s>
              <s>We ſhall ſpeak firſt of
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              thoſe which are ſpread on, for which the Lime
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              muſt be prepared in the following Manner:
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              Quench it in a covered Pit with clear Water,
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              and let there be much more Water than Lime;
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              then with an Axe chop and cut it as if you
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              were chopping of Wood, and you will know
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              when it is ſufficiently ſoaked and diſſolved by
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              the Axes not being offended by the leaſt Stone
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              or Grit. </s>
              <s>It is thought not to be ſufficiently
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              ſoaked under three Months. </s>
              <s>It is never good
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              unleſs it be very glutinous and clammy; for if
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              the Axe comes out of it dry, it is a Sign it has
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              not had a ſufficient Quantity of Water to quench
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              its Thirſt. </s>
              <s>When you mix it up with the Sand,
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              or any other pounded Materials, beat it over
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              and over again very heartily, till it perfectly
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              foams again. </s>
              <s>That which was deſigned for
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              the outer Coat the Ancients uſed to pound in
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              a Mortar, and they tempered their Mixture ſo
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              well, that it never ſtuck to the Trowel when
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              they came to lay it on. </s>
              <s>Upon this firſt Coat,
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              while it is ſtill wet and freſh, lay on the ſecond,
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              and be ſure to let all the three be laid on ſo
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              faſt as to dry together, beating them even and
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              ſmooth while they are wet. </s>
              <s>The outer Coat
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              of flat White, if you rub and ſmooth it well,
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              will ſhine like a Looking-glaſs; and if when
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              it is almoſt dry, you anoint it with Wax and
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              Gum Maſtix diſſolved in a little Oil, and heat
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              the Wall thus anointed with a Pan of Charcoal,
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              ſo that it may imbibe that Ointment, it will
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              out-do any Marble in Whiteneſs. </s>
              <s>I have found
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              by Experience that this Coat will never ſcale
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              off, if while you are working it, upon the firſt
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              Appearance of any Crack, you make it good
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              with a few Twigs of white Mallows or wild
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              Spart. </s>
              <s>But if you are obliged to plaiſter in
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              the Dog-days, or in any very hot Place, cut
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              and beat ſome old Ropes very ſmall, and mix
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              them with the Plaiſter. </s>
              <s>You may alſo give it
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              a very fine Poliſh, by throwing in a little
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              white Soap diſſolved in warm Water; but if
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              you uſe too much of this, it will make your
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              Work look pale. </s>
              <s>Figures in Stuc-work are
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              eaſily made from a Mold; and the Mold itſelf
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              is taken off from any Relieve, by pouring ſome
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              liquid Plaiſter over it; and as it is drying, if it
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              is anointed with the Compoſition above men­
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              tioned, it will get a Surface like Marble. </s>
              <s>Theſe
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              Figures are of two Sorts, one alto Relieve and
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              the other baſſo Relieve. </s>
              <s>In an upright Wall,
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              the alto Relieve do extremely well: But on an
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              arched Cieling the baſſo Relieve are better;
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              becauſe thoſe of the high Relieve being to hang
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              down from the Cieling, are very apt to break
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              off by their own Weight, which may endanger
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              the Perſons in the Room. </s>
              <s>It is a very good
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              Admonition, that where there is likely to be
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              much Duſt, we ſhould never make Ornaments
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              of high Relieve; but flat and low, that they
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              may be eaſily cleaned. </s>
              <s>Of painted Surfaces
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              ſome are done while the Work is freſh, and
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              others when it is dry. </s>
              <s>All natural Colours
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              which proceed from the Earth, from Mines or
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              the like, are proper for Paintings in Freſco:
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              But all artificial Colours, and eſpecially thoſe
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              which are altered by Means of Fire, require a
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              very dry Surface, and abhor Lime, the Rays of
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              the Moon, and ſouthern Winds. </s>
              <s>It has been
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              newly found out that Colours mixed up with
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              Linſeed Oil, will ſtand a vaſt While againſt all
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              the Injuries of the Air and Seaſons, provided
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              the Wall on which they are laid be perfectly
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              dry, and quite clear of all Moiſture; though I
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              have obſerved that the antient Painters, in
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              painting the Poops of their Ships, make uſe of
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              liquid Wax, inſtead of Size. </s>
              <s>I have alſo ſeen
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              in the Works of the Ancients, ſome Colours of
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              Gems laid on the Wall, if I judge rightly, with
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              Wax, or perhaps with a white Sort of Terraſs,
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              which was ſo hardened by Time, that it could
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              not be got off either by Fire or Water, and you
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              would have taken it for a hard Sort of Glaſs.
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              </s>
              <s>I have known ſome too, that with the white
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              milky Flower of Lime, have laid Colours up­
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              on the Wall, while it was ſtill freſh, that have
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              looked as much like Glaſs as poſſible. </s>
              <s>But of
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              this Subject, we need ſay no more.</s>
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