IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL UPON FABRICS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clayton Mewburn, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City
of London, Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF PAINTING IN OIL UPON FABRICS." A com-
munication from abroad by Adolphe Gutmann, of Florence, Italy.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clayton Mowburn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th February 1881.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF PAINTING. IN
OIL UPON FABRICS." [A communication from abroad by Adolphe Gutmann, of
Florence, Italy.]
Many attempts hitherto have been made but with little or no success to employ oil
colors for painting on fabrics. The difficulties met with have not been overcome, the
oil leaving marks on the fabric around the painting, and certain colors losing their
brightness. Besides, the suppleness of the fabrics has been affected by some
preliminary preparations, which prevent the carrying out of the object intended,
that is to say, the painting in oil upon fabrics for dresses, curtains, furniture, and
other purposes. These difficulties are overcome by the present Invention, by means
of which the fabric preserves its freshness and suppleness, and the brilliancy of the
colors equals and even surpasses that of the handsomest fabrics. If the painting is
done on silk or satin (whether made entirely from silk or from silk woven with
cotton), the colors become of the lustre of enamel and their shade changes according
to the reflection of the silk. The colors receive a more powerful lustre by air and
light, because no varnish or gum is employed in the process; the colors are therefore
not liable to become dull in course of time as has hitherto been found the case, and
the fabric retains its natural suppleness. The paintings preserve the freshness
which they possess when first done."
The improved process is as follows:-
I boil water in an earthenware vessel (which should be new and have a low rim
and be kept exclusively for this purpose). When the water is boiling I remove
the vessel from the fire and pour into it some liquor of the composition No. 1
bereinafter described. The liquor should be in the proportion of 1/rd to 2/3rds of
water. I keep this mixture very hot during the whole time that the operation

page_text: which follows continues, in order that as much vapor as possible may be disengaged
from the liquid. The heat may be kept up by means of a spirit lamp. This is
I then stretch the
very important, because if the liquid cools it will not answer.
fabric above the vapor, taking care to present its wrong side to the moisture. I
hold it thus for some minutes, being careful not to wet it. The vapor must
penetrate to the parts intended to be painted. After having left the fabric to dry
for one or two hours it can be painted upon by stretching it on a frame, or on
wood, or cardboard. I then trace the design'in the ordinary manner with an ivory
point; using tracing paper, red for black or dark fabrics, and white paper for clear
colors.
The last operation of the process, which is the most delicate, requires the greatest
care, to obtain a perfect result. The cup which is attached to the palette and
which generally contains linseed oil, should contain liquor of the composition No. 2
hereinafter described, which is used while painting. When the oil colors are
placed on the palette I drop into them with the brush one or more drops of the
liquor No. 2, using more or fewer drops, according to the quantity of the color which
it is wished to employ. The brush should be soaked with the liquor No. 2 each
time that it is charged with color. The first coat should be applied sufficiently
thick, in order that the fabric may be well covered. I first apply a coat of white
over all the parts intended to be painted rose, blue, or violet, and I leave this coat
to dry for 2 or 3 days. It is only thus that a perfect transparency of the shades
will be obtained. After having applied the color to the fabric it is important after
a few minutes to apply the brush again. to the freshly painted part, always having
in view the direction of every small detail of the design; in this way the lustre of
enamel is obtained.
All the other minor points of the process can only be learnt by practice.
The two compositions herein before referred to are made of the following
ingredients in or in about the proportions stated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Clayton Mewburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th August 1881.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF PAINTING IN
OIL UPON FABRICS." (A communication from abroad by Adolphe Gutmann, of
Florence, Italy.)
Many attempts have been made, but hitherto with little or no success, to employ
oil colors for painting on fabrics. The difficulties met with have not been over-
come, the oil leaving marks on the fabric around the painting, and certain colors
losing their brightness: Besides, the suppleness of the fabrics has been affected by
some preliminary preparations which prevent the carrying out of the object
intended, that is to say, the painting in oil upon fabrics for dresses, curtains,
furniture, and other purposes. These difficulties are overcome by the present
Invention, by means of which the fabric preserves its freshness and suppleness, and
the brilliancy of the colors equals and even surpasses that of the handsomest fabrics.
If the painting is done on silk or satin (whether made entirely from silk or from
silk woven with cotton) the colors become of the lustre of enamel, and their shade
changes according to the reflection of the silk. The colors receive a more powerful
lustre by air and light, because no varnish or gum is employed in the process; the
colors are therefore not liable to become dull in course of time as has hitherto been
found the case, and the fabric retains its natural suppleness. The paintings preserve
the freshness which they possess when first done.
The improved process is as follows:-
I boil water in an earthenware vessel (which should be new and have a low rim
and be kept exclusively for this purpose). When the water boils I remove the
vessel from the fire and pour into it some liquor of the composition No. 1 herein-
after described. The liquor should be in the proportion of 1/3rd to 2/3rds of water.
I keep this mixture very hot during the whole time that the operation which
follows continues, in order that as much vapor as possible may be disengaged from
the liquid. The heat may be kept up by means of a spirit lamp. This is very
important, because if the liquid cools it will not answer. I then stretch the fabric
above the vapor, taking care to present its wrong side to the moisture. I hold it
thus for some minutes, being careful not to wet it. The vapor must penetrate to
the parts intended to be painted. After having left the fabric to dry for one or
two hours it can be painted upon by stretching it on a frame, or on wood or
cardboard. I then trace the design in the ordinary manner with an ivory point,
using tracing paper, red for black or dark fabrics, and white paper for clear
colors.
The last operation of the process which is the most delicate requires the greatest
care to obtain a perfect result. The cup which is attached to the palette and which
generally contains linseed oil, should contain liquor of the composition No. 2 herein-
after described, which is used while painting. When the oil colors are placed on
the palette, I drop into them with the brush one or more drops of the liquor
No. 2, using inore or fewer drops according to the quantity of the color which it is
wished to employ. The brush should be soaked with the liquor No. 2 each time
that it is charged with color. The first coat should be applied sufficiently thick in
order that the fabric may be well covered. I first apply a coat of white over all
he parts intended to be painted rose, blue, or violet, and I leave this coat to dry
or 2 or 3 days. It is only thus that a perfect transparency of the shades will be
btained. After having applied the color to the fabric it is important after a few

page_text: minutes to apply the brush again to the freshly painted part, always having in
view the direction of every small detail of the design; in this way the lustre of
enamel is obtained.
All the other minor points of the process can only be learnt by practice.
The two compositions hereinbefore referred to are made of the following
ingredients in or in about the proportions stated.
When these compositions are to be used the bottles or vessels containing unem
should be well shaken.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention as communicated to me
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
The process herein before described of painting in oil upon fabrics, the charac-
teristic features of the said process being, first, the preparation of the parts of the
fabric to be painted by exposing them to the vapor of the liquor No. 1, and,
secondly, the addition to the oil colors of a few drops of the liquor No. 2,
substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said, John Clayton Mewburn, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of August, One thousand eight
dad and eighty one.
J. C. MEWBURN. (L.S.)