A method and apparatus for the manufacture of reproductions of original oil paintings and having the characteristic appearance of said originals

782,703. Reproducing the surfaces of oil paintings. KUNST IM DRUCK OBPACHER AKT.-GES. March 28, 1955 [April 30, 1954; March 19, 1955], No. 8926/55. Class 87(2). [Also in Group XVI] Oil paintings are reproduced by a method which comprises the following steps: (1) hardenable material, e.g. synthetic resin, is cast on the surface of the original to take an impression of the surface irregularities, e.g. brush marks. (ii) an impression plate is made from the casting. (iii) a coloured negative reproduction of the original painting is printed on a thin sheet of paper or the like which constitutes an intermediate impression carrier. (iv) a stack is made, Fig. 4, of the impression plate 8, the intermediate impression carrier 16, a coarse canvas 12 covered with a layer of laquer 20 miscible with printing ink 19, and a pad 21 of resilient material such as felt. (v) heat and pressure are applied to the stack. (vi) after cooling, hte impression carrier is softened with water and washed off the canvas and the impression plate is available for further reproductions. The casting of step (1), suitably of beeswax or a colour repellant artificial resin, can be used as the impression plate or an impression plate can be taken off the casting by electrically forming a deposit on its surface in known manner, removing the resin and replacing it with cast lead or zinc or more artificial resin. The heat and pressure are applied by steel plates 14, 141 heated by steam pipes 15 or by electrical or other means. A pressure of between 20 and 60 Kg. per sq. cm. at a temperature of between 80‹C. and 95‹C. is applied for a period of 1¢ to 3 minutes. 21 may also represent a hard-grained plywood plate, to which the canvas becomes secured by an adhesive sheet 22. When a felt backing is used the canvas is subsequently stretched in a frame. The paper for the intermediate impression carrier, e.g. metachrome paper, should be as thin as possible. A thin sheet of artificial resin is also suitable. Before the negative reproduction is printed the sheet is coated with a thin layer of varnish which becomes an upper surface protection for the printing ink. Under the heat and pressure the lacquer layer on the canvas becomes viscous and takes up particles of the printing ink on the intermediate impression carrier. Using heating plates 14, 141, 1411 &c. of different widths a press is used, Fig. 8, in which a series of stacks as in Fig. 4, each forming a unit 23, are loaded. The walls 26, 27 of the press ar