What Baroque gilding technique involves applying gold on top of bronze?

• A. Gilt Bronze
• B. Gold Leaf
• C. Vermeil
• D. Ormolu

Answer: (C)

Ormolu is the gilding that coats bronze objects with a gold-colored alloy, typically applied and fused to the surface through mercury gilding or fire gilding to produce a bright, durable gold finish. This technique was a hallmark of Baroque decorative arts, used on mounts, clocks, furniture, and sculpture. Vermeil, by contrast, is gold applied to silver, not bronze, so it doesn’t describe gilding bronze. Gilt bronze refers to the finished look of bronze that has been gilded, but it describes the result rather than the method. Gold leaf is a general gilding method using thin sheets of gold and isn’t specific to the Baroque bronze technique. Thus, the gilding that involves applying gold on top of bronze is ormolu.