The Allure and History of Oil Painting

Oil paint has a unique allure—both in how it looks and in the experience of working with it. As I return to making miniature oil paintings, I’ve found myself drawn not only to the medium itself but also to its history. Where did oil painting begin, why did it replace earlier methods, and what makes it such an enduring material for artists across centuries?

Early Beginnings

Although oil painting is often associated with European art, the earliest known examples date back to around 600 CE in Afghanistan. Murals discovered in the Bamiyan caves—tragically destroyed along with the monumental Buddhas in 2001—were painted with early oil-based pigments.

A team of experts has since recreated these works, providing rare insight into how artists experimented with oils long before Europe adopted them. Imagine vibrant murals tucked into cliffside caves, surviving for over a millennium before their loss.

Image: panorama of Bamiyan Valley with outlines of the Buddhas and caves.

From Tempera to Oil

Before oils, most Western painters relied on egg tempera—a mixture of pigment and egg yolk that dried quickly, demanding precision and speed. When oil paints entered Europe around the 1400s, they weren’t adopted overnight. Many artists layered diluted oils on top of tempera bases, gradually exploring the new medium’s possibilities.

Oil paint’s slower drying time allowed for blending, layering, and detail previously impossible, transforming flat surfaces into works with depth, light, and volume. This evolution set the stage for a new era in art.

Oil Painting in the Renaissance

The Renaissance marked a turning point in both technique and patronage. Wealthy families like the Medicis and powerful institutions like the Papacy commissioned art as symbols of devotion and prestige. Artists, in turn, sought to impress with works that felt more lifelike and immersive.

Oil paint, combined with the discovery of mathematical perspective, revolutionized

painting. Figures gained volume, fabrics shimmered with texture, and architectural backdrops receded into believable space.

Jan van Eyck, often mistakenly credited as the “inventor” of oil painting, was one of its most innovative early masters. His 1434 Arnolfini Portrait is considered a breakthrough: faces with dimension, textiles rendered with astonishing detail, and an interior defined by depth and perspective.

Image: Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait with notes on fabric detail and perspective.

Innovation Across Movements

Every new art movement brought new approaches to oil paint. A major leap came in the 19th century with the invention of the paint tube. Suddenly, painters could carry their colors outdoors, giving rise to the Impressionist movement.

Artists like Claude Monet embraced brighter palettes and quicker, looser brushwork, capturing fleeting light and atmosphere directly from nature. In works like Water Lilies, the water shimmers not only because of loose strokes but also because of the expanded range of pigments available.

Image: Claude Monet’s Water Lilies highlighting brushstroke and palette variety.

Oil Painting Today

Oil painting continues to evolve. Today’s artists blend tradition with technology, using digital tools to plan compositions and explore possibilities before ever touching a brush. For example, some artists utilize various apps to sketch outlines, resize images, and test out a variety of colorways.

Far from replacing the hand of the artist, these tools echo the spirit of innovation that has always accompanied oil painting—from tempera underlayers to portable paint tubes.

Why Oil Paint Endures

Oil paintings, when made with high-quality materials and proper care, can last for centuries. Protective varnishes, properly prepared canvases, and controlled environments help preserve their brilliance. Beyond durability, oil’s adaptability ensures it evolves with every generation of artists.

But endurance is more than material. Oil paint’s adaptability has allowed it to move from Afghan cave walls to Renaissance cathedrals, Impressionist gardens, and contemporary studios. Each generation of artists has discovered new ways to use it, ensuring that the medium remains vital and alive.

Sources

• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "oil painting". Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Feb. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/art/oil-painting.

• “Brief History of Oil Painting.” OilPaintingGuide.com, 20 June 2019, www.oilpaintingguide.com/brief-history-of-oil-painting.

• Wikipedia contributors. “Oil Painting.” Wikipedia, 5 Feb. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_painting.

• “The History of Oils.” Mall Galleries, 2 Aug. 2018, www.mallgalleries.org.uk/learning/resources/history-oils.

• A Brief History of Oil Painting | Blog | Escape Motions. www.escapemotions.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-oil-painting.

• Artsy Editors. “What Makes Oil Paintings to Be the Most Unique?” Artsy, 8 Sept. 2014, www.artsy.net/article/gucwa-vivienne-what-makes-oil-paintings-to-be-the.