Egg Yolk: A Secret Ingredient in Old Masters’ Oil Paints

Understanding the Role of Egg Yolk in Old Masters’ Artwork

A new study published in Nature Communications provides greater insight into why egg yolk was used in oil paints by the Old Masters of Renaissance. Historians were aware that the addition of proteins such as egg yolk helped create egg tempera, but the reasons for its use as an ingredient in oil paint remained a mystery. The study found that adding fresh egg yolk to types of oils used by Renaissance painters created stronger bonding between pigment particles, allowing for stiffer paint, ideal for impasto painting. This technique reduced wrinkling, helped retain the shape applied by the painter, and protected the paint against high humidity. Antioxidants in the yolk prevented yellowing while providing vivid colors. By understanding how artists manipulate their materials, people can appreciate the creative process and final products of old masterpieces.

Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt: Thinking Ahead of Time

Evidence exists that famous artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt may have intentionally added egg yolk to their oil paintings. Not only did these painters achieve unique textures with impasto techniques, but they created masterpieces containing bright and long-lasting pigments that inspire awe even today. Scientists wonder if these artists’ use of egg yolk was deliberate, as it could not have been physically obvious how the properties affected their work without well-equipped labs.

How Science Unveiled Egg Yolk’s Contribution to Masterpieces

The study evaluated three types of paint: regular oil paint, a version with fresh egg yolk added to it, and a version where pigment was first mixed with the yolk, dried, and then mixed into oil. Researchers explored how the combination of oil and egg made paintings more stable over time by decreasing oxidation levels that cause paint to turn yellow. Furthermore, the adding of egg yolk created sturdy links between pigment particles that produced stiffer paint conducive to the techniques of impasto.

Using Egg Yolk to Tune Oil Paints

The researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology created two oil-egg recipes, which contain egg yolk and pigment mixed in the yolk at different stages. The mayonnaise-like mixture produced by this method resulted in a more robust bond between pigment particles, leading to stiffer paint. The use of egg yolk also decreased paint sensitivity to humidity, helping to prevent wrinkles once the top layer dried faster than the paint underneath. However, the eggy oil paint took longer to dry, which would have affected Renaissance artists who needed to add another layer quickly.

In Conclusion:

Artists have a unique understanding of how different materials interact and evolve over time through trial and error. Now, with science’s aid, researchers are learning how these ancient selection processes led to unique creations that inspire the world even after hundreds of years. With such discoveries, people can appreciate not just their beauty but also an artist’s creative journey through time.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons