Definition of Gilt Wood

History

• The word "gilt" is a noun that comes from the Middle English word "gilden," meaning coated with gold or looking like gold, in use around 1300 A.D. The verb "to gild" derives from the Old English word "gyldan," which means "to cover with gold."

Types

• There are two traditional methods of creating gilt wood. In the water-gilding process, the artisan applies several layers of gesso to the wood, smoothing and carving between layers, before laying on gold leaf to produce the gilt wood product. The oil-gilding method has fewer steps; the artisan seals the wood, sizes it with oil, and then applies the gold layer.

Function

• Gilt wood gives the appearance of opulence due to its gold sheen. Decorators use gilt wood furnishings in formal settings such as dining rooms and living rooms. A gilt wood mirror or lamp can add a touch of elegance to an otherwise unremarkable room.

Warning

• As Shakespeare wrote in The Merchant of Venice, "All that glisters is not gold." Gilt wood furniture may contain real gold leaf, or it may be finished with some other material. Remember, the term "gilt" can also mean having the appearance of gold.

Other Meanings

• To gilt or gild can mean "to give an attractive but often deceptive appearance." The commonly used phrase "to gild the lily" means adding unnecessary ornamentation to what is already beautiful.