Mosaic gold

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The Angel of Life by Giovanni Segantini. This work uses bronze powder, along with other media on paper.

Mosaic gold or bronze powder refers to tin(IV) sulfide[1] as used as a pigment in bronzing and gilding wood and metal work. It is obtained as a yellow scaly crystalline powder. The alchemists referred to it as aurum musivum, or aurum mosaicum.[2] The term mosaic gold has also been used to refer to ormolu[3] and to cut shapes of gold leaf, some darkened for contrast, arranged as a mosaic.[4] The term bronze powder may also refer to powdered bronze alloy.

Alchemists prepared this by combining mercury, tin, sal ammoniac, and sublimated sulfur (fleur de soufre), grinding, mixing, then setting them for three hours in a sand heat. The dirty sublimate being taken off, aurum mosaicum was found at the bottom of the matrass. It was recommended in most chronic and nervous cases, and particularly convulsions of children;[5] however, it is no longer recommended for any medical uses.

References

  1. ↑ Holleman, A. F.; Wiberg, E. (2001). Inorganic Chemistry. San Diego: Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-352651-5. 
  2. ↑ "Mosaic". Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913). The ARTFL Project. p. 946. Retrieved 5 February 2014. 
  3. ↑ "Ormolu". Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913). The ARTFL Project. p. 1013. Retrieved 5 February 2014. 
  4. ↑  Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "Gold". Cyclopaedia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (first ed.). James and John Knapton, et al. 
  5. ↑  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "article name needed". Cyclopaedia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (first ed.). James and John Knapton, et al. 
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