Wax on, Wax off or Varnishing an icon with bee’s wax
Wax on, Wax off . Almost like in the movie when Varnishing an icon with bee’s wax. The a mixture of white beeswax with pure turpentine one of the most traditional varnishes. The one that we call in Greece “keronefto”.
The best part of using this material, it the way by which the natural varnish is gets absorbed by the painting*,. The short video displays the polishing, the soft, slow and rythmic circular movement with a pure cotton cloth. Exactly like in the:
*The painting in this case is a piece of a cedar tree trunk that is used (with the minimum quantity of gesso) as a surface for the icon of Annunciation- The hollow point in the wood is where the belly/womb of Theotokos was placed.
When the painting is installed light from the back passes through the hole, symbolizing, Logos, the “Fruit of thy womb”
