Historic Paint Finishes Report: The Original Finishes of the Verandah House, Corinth, Mississippi

Room 103

Condition of Plaster: Examination of the Samples

Sample: Entablature - Location of collected samples

Sample: Center Medallion

Location of Samples:

Note: During the site visit, it was possible to remove large sections of the accumulated paint on the ceiling medallion. The color of the surface of the plaster suggested the original finish was a yellow ochre. In fact, this is not the case: the earliest finish, a water-soluble distemper was washed off, and the surface given a thinned stabilizing coating, containing a drying oil (very probably linseed oil) which has discolored to a brownish yellow. In addition, the second finish, which was applied to the surface was a yellow ochre finish. Thus plaster has a yellowish coloration, but originally would have been finished with the white distemper finish seen on other parts of the South Parlor.

Sample: Ceiling Medallion, Location 5

Photomicrograph: Unmounted sample, Olympus SZ-1145 stereo microscope/ with Nikon D70 digital camera body Lexar Media 1GB flash card Dolan Jenner Fiber optics illuminator, daylight filtering

Note: The view of this sample is turned over, so that the earliest finishes (or, rather the remains of the earliest finish) are seen on top. The first finish, which is a white water soluble distemper finish survives only in remnants, since most of this paint was washed off; note the porosity caused by the spaces left by the evaporated water vehicle. The second finish (2) is the light yellow ochre color; this also shows the same type of porous structure as the first finish and was a water soluble distemper. The third finish, which has broken through the second finish, (probably due to paint loss or preparation for the third finish) is a light green. The sequence of finishes appears to be as follows:

First Finish: White distemper (matte)                                    ca. 1857

Second Finish: Light yellow ochre distemper (matte)           ca.1875

Third Finish: Light green emulsion                                         Huggins period: 1878-1921

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