Home / Summaries / Thinking About Art A Thematic Guide to Art History / paint-tempera-divine

Materials, Techniques and Processes - Painting: Timeless and Honoured - Tempera: jewel-like Madonnas

4 important questions on Materials, Techniques and Processes - Painting: Timeless and Honoured - Tempera: jewel-like Madonnas

What are the basics of tempera?

These are wood panels that are glued together, smoothened with gypsum and then painted with pigments mixed with egg yolk. Gold leaf is very important to this kind of painting, which was typically of religious nature, to recreate divine light. The paint dried very quickly and the art was very expensive due to the used materials.

Why do temperas look very flat?

Because shading them is almost impossible, seeing as the paint dries very quickly and any depth has to be attempted by cross-hatching. There also is a lack of possible colour. Additionally, the layers of paint have to be very thin in order for them to dry well.

Why was tempera considered the best medium for religious paintings?

Because these were sacred objects that did not need to look natural or accurate at all; instead, they had to gleam and look divine so that people could address their prayers to them, which they did.