MEGILP
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What is Megilp?What is Megilp?
This soft gelatinous painting medium became popular during the 19th century especially amongst painters such as Sir Joshua Reynolds, J.W.M. Turner, Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, and many of the Pre-Raphaelite artists. There are many recipes for megilp, but most involve a mixture of thick mastic varnish and leaded oil. The medium allows for unique blending and texturing of the paint. The painter Jacques Maroger felt that megilp, or variations of the medium, was used by Old Master painters as early as the mid-15th century. Although this medium has a reputation for being “unarchival”, more research is needed to study the particular aging properties of megilp, particularly its propensity to create a soluble paint film that is also prone to darkening and/or cracking.