Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c19.22

c19.22

The varnish is made as follows: powdered *dummala* (which must be white and clean, *Varnish* not dark) is mixed with *doraṇa* (oil) and boiled for half an hour or more and then allowed to cool, when it is ready for use. The varnish so prepared smells strongly of turpentine and dries quickly.* The yellow *gokaṭu* (gamboge) paint is said to be itself a *valicciya* and not to require any other varnish. A superior method of varnishing small wooden articles is to cover the painting with a thin coating of carefully cleaned and strained lac (*keppeṭṭiya lakaḍa*), applied with heat. Old book covers will always be found to have been thus treated.