References cited:
Cennini, Cennino, Craftsman's Handbook. Dover Publications, ©1978. (Translated from Il Libro dell'Arte.) Available from Amazon.com.
- Perhaps the definitive work on artist's methods of the medieval and Renaissance periods, although primarily limited to those as practiced in Italy.
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Mayer, Ralph, The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques. Viking Press, ©1991. Available from Amazon.com.
- Long a standard reference for the practicing artist and art student, with histories of methods and materials, formulas, and sources.
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Smith, Ray, The Artist's Handbook. Knopf, ©1987. Available from Amazon.com.
- An excellent presentation, well organized, and accompanied by clear charts, illustrations and photographs.
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Massey, Robert, Formulas For Painters Watson-Guptil, ©1967. Available from Amazon.com.
- Traditional and contemporary formulas for gessoes, sizes, mediums, and just about anything else the do-it-yourself artist might want to make.
Nothing specifically for silverpoint grounds, though one can experiment and modify other formulas for the purpose.
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The Dictionary of Art MacMillan, Ltd., ©1996. Available from Amazon.Com.
- Current retail is $995, and some used sets, or check your local academic library.
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Ames-Lewis, Francis, Drawing in Early Renaissance Italy Yale University Press, ©1981. Available from Amazon.com.
- Good discussion, good illustrations. Very valuable in understanding "shop practice" of the period.
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Watrous, James, The Craft of Old-Master Drawings. University of Wisconsin Press, ©2002. Available from Amazon.com
- Solid contemporary research and description of Old Masters' craft, technology, recipes and techniques. Back in print.
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Weber, Bruce, The Fine Line: Drawing with Silver in America. Norton Gallery & School of Art, ©1985. Frequently available used, from Amazon.Com
- Catalog of an exhibition at the Norton Gallery and School of Art, Florida.
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Museums where you can see online images of metalpoint drawings
These are the places where I found many of the images discussed in these pages
Museum of Fine Arts,
Boston, USFine Arts Museums
of San Francisco, USNational Gallery of Art,
Washington, DCSmithsonian Museum of Art,
Washington, D.C.The British Museum,
London, United KingdomThe Hermitage Museum,
St. Petersburg, Russia