Manuel has since 1975 been working as a gilder and carver in the same workshop, located in the iconic Sevillian neighbourhood of Triana. The work carried on in his workshop ranges from the making and restoration of many Easter procession floats to the building, restoration… and fitting of whole altarpieces. In the workshop he also has two journeymen and a labourer.

Manuel masters all the techniques involved in the craft of gilding on wood, such as carpentry, carving, gilding itself, polychromy and estofado varnishing.

The water-gilding technique has barely changed since its origins. Manuel’s workshop uses traditional materials: animal glue (mostly derived from hides), calcium sulphate from the Osuna area of Seville province and natural pigments, which he mixes using formulas he learned from other master artisans. The woods he works with mostly are maritime pine and various species of cedar.

After making and joining the wooden pieces and carving them, Manuel applies a coat of totín rabbit-skin glue and consolidates the structural joints with calcium carbonate paste and bone glue. Once the glue is dry, he applies seven coats of a gesso consisting of glue and calcium sulphate and then leaves them to dry. When the piece has been reshaped and sanded with scrapers, he removes the dust and applies a coat of labazo water-glue. Once this is dry, he starts gilding the carvings. First he applies five coats of bole (a mix of special clays and egg tempera), taking care not to damage the previous layers. The mix must be continually stirred and always the same way. After 24 hours, when the piece is dry, it is polished with a stiff brush called perrillo. Given the delicacy of the craft, Manuel avoids touching the piece with his hands, as the skin’s natural fats could affect the adherence of the gold leaf. He also takes care not to knock the leaf with the metal part of the brush. Then he applies a special water-and-glue tempera to areas that are to have a matt finish. Once this has dried, he applies the gold leaf. There are leafs of various carats, thicknesses and colours. Manuel uses 23 3/4 carat gold leaf, triple thickness and 18 grams, which he alloys with another metal for hardness. For other finishes he uses white gold or sterling silver. With the help of a gilder’s cushion and knife, he applies each leaf previously wetted in gilding water, sticks it and lets it dry for a day. Once the piece has dried, he burnishes it, giving the gold leaf lustre by polishing. With the gilding complete, he applies polychrome floral, fruit or religious motifs, normally with tempera or oils. After painting, certain details are chiselled and the piece is cleaned.

The tools he uses for gilding are twin-tip brushes, quill mops, a gilder’s cushion for spreading the gold leaf, burnishers or agate stones, perrillo brushes and a gilder’s tip. The materials used are booklets of gold leaf, boles, glues and gesso.