Example of Fayum Portraits

History of Encaustic

Encaustic, meaning “to burn in or fuse”, is an ancient painting medium first practiced by Greek artists as far back as the 5th century B.C.  Encaustic combines molten beeswax with dry pigment and tree resin. Encaustic is impervious to moisture.  In ancient Greece, encaustic was used to weatherproof Greek ships. Greeks that settled in Egypt adapted the funerary customs of honoring the dead by painting a portrait of the deceased in the prime of life or after death to be placed over the person’s mummy.  Known as the “Fayum Portraits”, these are the only surviving encaustic paintings from ancient times that are 3,500 years old. The Egyptian collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and museums around the world are in great condition considering their age. In comparison, most Renaissance paintings are only 500 years old and cracking and needing extensive restoration.

Today encaustic medium is a versatile medium combining damar tree resin (a hardening agent) with beeswax. Just like in ancient times, this resin is what gives encaustic paintings their rich and glasslike sheen if buffed. Once melted, the wax is applied to wood and a variety of other surfaces with a brush or other tools and fused with a heat gun, heated iron or propane torch. The wax can be thick or thin, translucent, clear or opaque, molded, scraped, carved or etched and must be fused between layers if items or photographs are applied.

Caring for Encaustic

(encaustic art work should be cared for as you would any fine art piece)

1.       Consistent Temperature - Hang at normal room temperatures. Avoid freezing and extremely hot temperatures; wax with resin will melt at 180 - 200 degrees Fahrenheit or 82 - 93 degrees Celsius

2.       Avoid Direct Sunlight - Keep all artwork out of direct sunlight. When hanging or storing any fine art, temperature control and sunlight exposure should be considered.

3.       Transporting a painting - When packing encaustic art for transportation, cover the face of the painting with wax paper. Bubble wrap can be placed over the wax paper with bubbles facing away from the surface to avoid leaving an imprint on the surface.

4.       Framing - Encaustic does not need to be protected by glass. A floater frame is an attractive option that also protects the edges of the painting from scratches, dents and chips. If you choose to frame under glass; ensure the glass is not make contact with the artwork.

5.       Curing - During the first 6-12 months, as the wax cures, an encaustic painting may develop bloom. Bloom is a naturally occurring hazy white residue. It may also occur if a painting is exposed to cold. Bloom can easily be removed by buffing the surface of the painting. Encaustic paintings can be buffed to a high gloss using a soft, lint-free cloth, micro fiber cloth or the clean palm of your hand. If the original sheen has become dull over time, it can be brought back by repeating the buffing process. Some embedded prints on rice paper will not shine up unless they were created with multiple layers of wax.