P for Patina

An introduction to the patination of bronzes with urine

 

 

This treatise is about patinating bronzes with this ever so casual yet dynamic and valuable super-fluid: urine. It’s based upon testing urines collected after having followed a variety of ‘diets’ in order to obtain as many mutually divergent compositions, and to apply each to bronzes –using different techniques– with the aim to arrive at an as wide spectrum of patina colours as possible. The outcomes are shown in brightly-coloured pictures that leave nothing to the imagination.

 

This is the first study ever to investigate the potential of urine for the patination of bronzes, and which results doing so yields. Therewith, this publication is as unique as it is a primeur. In all modesty, the underlaying experiment was only intended to investigate the suitability of urine to obtain lively patinas while using simple and easily reproducible methods.

 

Within the bandwidth found lie many other nuances, without any doubt, and beyond perhaps even more colours. Hence the goal of this treatise. May it encourage those who are willing to surpass prejudices and negative connotations towards urine to discover, themselves, the exquisite qualities of this golden liquid. And why not? It’s always available and comes at democratic costs.