O douramento e a policromia no Norte de Portugal à luz da documentação dos séculos XVII e XVIII

Abstract

In 1989 we started the studies about gilding and polychromy on wood in the North of Portugal. Our research has been developed for the XVII th. and XVIII th. centuries having the notarial documentation as the main field; although the specific references are very rare, several details concerning the gilding and polychromy process can be found in contracts related with altarpieces and wooden sculptures. Some significant examples of this technique mentioned in those documents are analysed in this article.