Colour as a sign of identity of sculptural art works. The Roman Lex Ursonensis Tablet

Abstract

Surface colour treatments (patinas) are essential in sculptural reproduction techniques. Colour and form are the two basic factors used to identify objects, given that the sense of touch cannot always be used. This paper sets forth a procedure for pigmentation assayed on a resin and bronze powder reproduction of the Roman Lex Ursonensis Tablet. By incorporating bronze into the reproduction material (resin), we were able to achieve a base material like the original bronze that would be susceptible to chemical modification. This allowed us to reproduce, in a short period of time, the colour of the natural process of oxidation that occurs over time.