LEX-48 / Historical term
Patina
A surface layer or appearance produced by change, treatment or use of a material.
01 / Origins
Where it comes from
Conservation distinguishes original or applied finishes from subsequent alteration; Getty documents this complexity in bronze sculpture.
02 / Translation
How we use it
Use Wine & Verdigris to compare authored appearances while reading their limits.
03 / What this does not establish
A green colour is not enough to identify a corrosion product or determine a conservation treatment.
Try the idea
A surface is more than its colour.
Polished
A bright surface suggests reflection. It tells us little about the object's age.
Three designed appearances, with no time scale. These are illustrative materials, not measured aging or a corrosion simulation. Follow Wine & Verdigris for the related study.
The route back
Sources & further reading
Sources support the context described here. The archive's design translations remain interpretations.
- Getty Conservation Institute. (n.d.). Conservation of Henry Moore's outdoor bronze sculptures. https://www.getty.edu/projects/henrymoore-conservation/
Discusses bronze surfaces, applied patinas and conservation. The digital specimens are analogies, not chemical models.
Cite this entry / revised 2026-11-05
The Chromologium. (2026). Patina. The architectural lexicon. https://chromologium.com/lexicon/patina