Hercules Fighting Nemean Lion Hand-Coloured Etching

• Foxing - Foxing is a type of discoloration or staining that occurs on the edges or pages of old books, manuscripts, and other paper-based materials. The term "foxing" comes from the reddish-brown color of the stains, which is similar to the color of fox fur.
  
  Foxing is caused by a variety of factors, including exposure to moisture, high humidity, and oxidation. Over time, these environmental factors can cause the paper to yellow and develop the distinctive brownish stains. The discoloration can also be caused by pollutants in the air, such as smoke and chemicals, or by the presence of certain types of mould or mildew.
  
  Foxing can have a significant impact on the value and appearance of old books and manuscripts, and is often considered a defect. However, some people consider foxing to be a sign of the history and aging of the paper, and view it as a desirable characteristic.
• Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.
  
  For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.
  
  Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• engravings and lithographs 1,626
• lithographs 1,648