Flemish painters in the 15th century discovered oil painting, which had advantages over previous mediums like fresco and tempera by allowing artists to work longer due to its slower drying time and build up luminous tones through thin translucent layers. This new medium of oil paint allowed Flemish artists to depict the natural world and its textures, materials, and play of light with unprecedented vivid detail and subtlety.

1. The Northern Renaissance
The Discovery of Oil Painting

2. One of the great discoveries of Flemish painters in the 15th century was oil paint

3. Prior to this, fresco and tempera were the only painting mediums available

4. Amongst the advantages of oil paint were its slower drying time (allowing the
artist to work longer), and its capacity to be applied in thin translucent layers,
which made it possible to build up deep luminous tones and much more subtle
gradations of light to dark

5. Hans Memling, Diptych of Martin Von Nieuwenhove, 1487
Oil on panel, Municipal Museums, Bruges
Oil paint made it possible for Flemish artists to render the natural world with
astonishingly vivid detail

6. It made it possible to render realistic skin tones, as well as the texture of hair, fur,
and other textiles

7. It was also well suited to capturing the play of light on reflective surfaces such as
glass, metal and jewels