Essential oil. It is obtained from the distillation of Venice turpentine. It is very limpid and colourless, and it is, among the essential oils, the most used in painting, above all as a dilutent for oil paints. Most of the terpene resins, some waxes and oils - even polymerized - are soluble in it. In restoration, it is used in the cleaning of paintings as a bland solvent and as a dilutent for stronger solvents. |