History Of Oil Painting

The history of oil painting is steeped in mystery, and while many theories exist about the origins of what is now considered to be the most traditional form of painting, there have been a number of milestones along the way. Throughout history, oil paints have been valued for their practical characteristics and the creative freedom that they offered. One thing is certain though, modern oil painting has developed as a result of many centuries of experimentation by the masters of painting.

A range of techniques for painting existed before oil painting became the established style. The earliest known paintings were found in prehistoric cave dwellings and these were drawn with red and yellow ochre, hematite, manganese oxide or charcoal used as the pigment which was then mixed with animal fat.

Many researchers consider that the oldest known oil paintings date from around 650 A.D. and feature primitive