Recent research shows that famous artists like Leonardo da Vinci,Sandro Botticelli,and Rembrandt might have mixed egg yolk into their oil paints. This challenges old assumptions about what materials they used . Published in Nature Communications,the study highlights these "Old Masters" and their innovative methods.
For years,trace proteins in classic paintings were seen as contamination. But new findings suggest proteins,especially from egg yolk,were intentionally added. Ophélie Ranquet from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology says even a tiny bit of egg yolk can greatly affect oil paint. It boosts longevity and looks .
Oil paint,which dates back to 7th-century Central Asia,became popular in Europe during the Renaissance . It offers vibrant colors,longer working time than Egyptian tempera,which mixes egg yolk with pigments and water. But oil paint has issues like darkening and light damage. Study suggests artists used egg yolk to counter these problems.
Researchers recreated old paint-making using egg yolk,distilled water,linseed oil,pigments to make lead white,ultramarine blue. Ranquet noted egg yolk changes paint properties,improving resistance to humidity,oxidation. Helps prevent issues like wrinkling .
Evidence in da Vinci's "Madonna of the Carnation" shows wrinkling on faces of Mary,child — suggests not enough pigment. Ranquet said oil paint dries from surface in,causing wrinkling. Study suggests egg yolk could have stopped this,keeping same pigment levels.
Botticelli's "The Lamentation Over Dead Christ" also analyzed. Mostly tempera but has oil paint in background. Protein presence,once thought accidental,may be deliberate to boost oil paint. Ranquet hopes this sparks more research into this art history mystery .
Maria Perla Colombini,analytical chemistry professor,University of Pisa,praised study. Says it helps understand historical techniques. Identifies materials Old Masters used,explains how they achieved effects with limited resources. Could aid conservation,expand art history knowledge . But what else might this reveal…
