It’s All in the Details: Early Netherlandish Oil Painting

The popularization of oil painting as a medium can be traced to the 15th-century Netherlandish painters Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck.

"The Betrothal of the Virgin," 1420–1430, by the Master of Flemalle. Prado National Museum, Madrid, Spain. Public Domain

The technique of oil painting facilitated a seismic shift in art. It was a better medium than egg tempera for portraying realistic details like atmospheric conditions, surface effects, texture, and brilliant color. From the Renaissance on, oil became the favored fine art painting method.

The popularization of oil painting throughout Europe can be traced to the 15th century and the work of Early Netherlandish painters. They lived in what today is known as Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. In the 1400s, the region was a center of international trade. It had a prosperous economy that enabled a robust patronage of artists. Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck were key painters during this period. Though neither invented the technique, they led the oil transformation that went on to influence subsequent generations.

Flemish Masters

The full biographies of both artists are incomplete. Little is known of the early life of the Flemish van Eyck (circa 1390–1441), though it is known that he came from a family of artists. He was active in the city of Bruges, Belgium, and is considered by scholars to be one of art history’s greatest painters. His “The Arnolfini Portrait” and the “Ghent Altarpiece” (that he painted with his brother Hubert) are among the most famous artworks in the world.