ENCAUSTIC PAINTING

(Gr. £v, and x«t/«rT/«ef, burning.) In Painting, a method of painting used by the ancients, the precise mode of executing which is by no means sufficiently explained. From Pliny's account, it seems that the colours were made up into crayons through a medium of wax, and, the subject being previously traced with a metal point, were melted on the picture as they were used. The picture being finished, a varnish of melted wax was spread over all. The colours thus not only obtained considerable brilliancy, but the work was also protected from the weather. It was lastly well polished. The attempts to revive this art, which, after cill, if we may draw our conclusion from Pliny's account, seems to have been but a clumsy proce , hare not been attended with succe . [s. 408]