maulstick n : a long stick that a painter uses to support the hand holding the brush [syn: mahlstick]

English

Noun

1. A short stick with a pad on one end, used by a painter to steady his hand, and to prevent it from accidentally touching the painting

Synonyms

• mahlstick

A maulstick, or mahlstick, is a stick with a soft leather or padded head, used by painters to support the hand that holds the brush. The word is an adaptation of the Dutch maalstok, i.e. the "painter's stick", from malen, "to paint".

In 16th- through 19th-century paintings of artists, including self-portraits, the maulstick is often depicted as part of the painter's equipment.

References