Did you know that oil painting was invented by the Belgian Van Eyck brothers?

13/10/2015

Hubert van Eyck and Jan van Eyck are famous for having invented oil painting by adding turpentine to colours. This made it possible to produce paintings with finer details and more vibrant colours.

In 1390, Jan van Eyck was born in the territories under the authority of the Prince Bishop of Liège, Jean de Bavière. Famous for his realistic and detailed portraits, his work is mainly composed of depictions of the Virgin Mary. Among his most famous works are The Arnolfini Portrait (1934), the portrait of Marguerite Van Eyck and the altarpiece at Saint Bavo Cathedral in Ghent, the masterpiece, the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb (1432). His older brother Hubert van Eyck also belonged to the school of Flemish primitive painters of the 15th century.