Gold leaf in restoration and heritage conservation – verifiable and documentable

The Eytzinger gold-beating workshop has been producing gold leaf since 1867 and is currently the oldest and most modern gold-beating workshop in Germany.

In recent years, Eytzinger has increasingly focused on the development of gold leaf for restoration and heritage conservation.

In collaboration with the workshops at the Louvre in Paris, a special alloy containing a chemical marker has been developed: Aliénor.

Aliénor is the first special gold leaf alloy that can be unequivocally identified using X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF).

This means that objects gilded with Aliénor can be identified and precisely documented at any time.

The ‘Aliénor’ grade (23.5 carat) is available as gold leaf and as extremely fine gold powder for retouching.

The lecture will explore the specific characteristics of gold alloys used in restoration and heritage conservation.

Another topic will be colour analysis of gold leaf: laser technology can be used to examine gold leaf surfaces and recommend certified gold alloys for specific objects.

Work is currently underway on a database to record and thoroughly examine gold leaf varieties from various manufacturers.

Of particular interest to the restoration sector: all types of gold leaf produced by Eytzinger are certified, and the entire production process is audited. Every gold leaf booklet from Eytzinger bears a printed serial number, ensuring its traceability. Quality you can rely on.