2020 Essays

Wax and Tallow: Material Explorations

Cataldo, Emogene; Visco, Julianna Van

Wax and tallow are easily transformed from solid to liquid and back again. Their properties, such as hardness, opacity, malleability, and carvability, can also be transformed through the addition of various substances, including resins, earths, and pigments. These versatile materials were used for many purposes in early modern Europe, and also possessed a range of symbolic, sacramental, and other cultural meanings. Taking inspiration from the entry on fol. 109r for “Modeling in wax,” this essay provides a preliminary exploration of the broad uses and meanings of these important materials.