Italian Bole from Giusto Manetti is a specific type of clay used as a base for gold leaf in the water gilding technique. It is applied to the surface to be gilded which has previously been prepared with gesso. Bole allows the leaf to adhere to the surface over time and helps achieve a brighter finish to the gold in the burnishing phase.

Ensure surface to be treated is perfectly clean and smooth. Since this bole does not contain glue an adhesive substance must be added to bole. Once this mixture is blended it can be applied with a brush and the gold leaf applied when it is still wet. Depending on environment, drying time is around two hours.