Woodworking Techniques

From the technique's point of view, it is not about a proper wood sculpture, the techniques used being numerous and varied.

Finishing helps to protect the wood and also seals it against moisture loss - which helps to retard the wood movement we've been talking about. The most common period finish is paint, which seems to usually have been egg tempera over a gesso or parchment ground. In the Renaissance we begin to see oil and wax finishes.

We know almost nothing about period finishing formulas since these were usually protected as trade secrets. There are references in 14th Century account to wood being "varnished" but it is unsure whether this refers to varnish or some other kind of finish. Staining, graining, and other decorative techniques are known from late period examples, but may have been used earlier.

Wood is finished for a variety of reasons. The finish provides a barrier layer that slows the transmission of water vapor and reduces seasonal wood movement. It also provides some resistance to decay agents such as bacteria, fungi, and insects. Aside from its utilitarian aspects, wood finishing can also be a means of decoration.

Wood objects make up for the absence of the color making evident the natural features of the wood essence. The ornamental motifs used may be: geometrical (spirals, the incised circle, the rhombus the square, the rope, the circle arch), zoomorphic (the serpent representation), anthropomorphic (compositions realized through incisions that usually represent the shepherd with his sheep), the vegetal decorations (fir tree branches, leaf, flower), cosmical, freely draw and mixed.