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Most of the frontals are made of pine. They consist
of broad wooden boards – with the grain running
horizontally – held together by battens and robust
mouldings. The latter were attached to the front edges
of the boards, thereby also providing a frame for the
picture itself. The St. Olav frontal measures 96,5 x
108 cm and is made from pine. It consists of three relatively
wide boards joined by means of concealed dowels. The
joints have opened in the course of time.
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The vertical members were originally much longer, extending
downwards to form legs that could be placed in sockets
in the floor.
The frame consists of four mouldings fastened along
the front edges. In cross-section, the mouldings have
one flat surface and one angled surface facing towards
the front, with the angled surface meeting the painted
surface. Ovals have been carved on the flat surfaces.
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Above: Reconstruction
drawing
(Museum of National Antiquities, Oldsaksamlingen)
To the right:
The new panel. The woodwork of the front side.
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The rear surfaces of the boards show signs of having
been dressed with an adze. The boards are fastened
to the two battens and mouldings by means of iron
nails and treenails, the latter expanded by small
wedges. |
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Some of the nails were driven in from the rear, others
from the front; the protruding points were hammered
down flat.
Any exposed iron or dowel end was covered with pieces
of fine canvas to prevent contact with the ground while
the joints were covered with strips of vellum, but the
opening of the joints has caused the strips to tear
lengthways.
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Above:
The new panel, the rear side. |
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Preparation
of the panel
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The pictorial side of the panel was crisscrossed lightly
with a knife to improve adhesion of the ground to be
laid. The method was quite common in the Middle Ages.
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The surface was then saturated with a 7% glue solution. |
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| Paint
ground |
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The white ground consists of chalk in a solution of
animal glue. It was put on in several coats and then
given a thorough rubbing.
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Exposed iron or dowel ends were covered with pieces of
fine canvas before applying a total of 12 layers of chalk
ground on the pictorial side, and four on the rear side.
The first layers had a 7% glue solution. In the progress
the concentration of glue was weakened to prevent tensions
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The surface was finally smoothened.
Analysis has revealed that the ground on the painted
side was covered with a coat of diluted albumen, which
provided an excellent foundation for the paint. The
frontal’s rear was treated in the same way.
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