Gold as a material itself is already precious. But when it is applied to glass, it takes on a new appearance and turns into something even more enchanting.
Artist Yolande Batteau from Brooklyn-based studio Callidus Guild practices the ancient craft of gilding mirrors. Batteau and her staff use gilder’s liquor, a type of liquid, to carefully apply 24K gold leaves to a glass surface. Once it binds, the chemical treatment turns the leaves into a reflective layer—transforming glass into a mirror.
"There’s something a little bit sacred to all cultures about gold," Batteau says. "Gold mirrors are magical, you don’t expect it."