Egg Tempera Paintings
Known from antiquity, tempera was the primary painting medium of the Middle Ages. It was the medium for religious and inspired art in the Byzantine world as well as Europe until the 16th century, when it was replaced in by oil paint, a more convenient, flexible and available technique.
Tempera paintings are characterizes by a brilliant, luminous crispness that could not be duplicated by the use of other painting mediums. Although egg tempera paint is applied in many techniques, tempera painting could be easily identified.
The dried tempera paint does not darken or change colour with age. Correctly painted, it is less likely to crack with age, it is also long-lasting; panel paintings created in the 14th centuries survive to this day.
The artwork presented on this page shows how traditional painting methods could be applied for a variety of themes.
If you are interested in egg tempera techniques and how to paint with egg yolk emulsion and dry powdered pigments, please check my painting classes.