Mastering Historical Painting Techniques: Insights from Netherlandish Art

Understanding historical painting techniques has opened new doors for modern artists looking to replicate traditional methods with precision and creativity. A recent study, New Insights into the Materials of Fifteenth- and Sixteenth-Century Netherlandish Paintings in the National Gallery, London by Marika Spring, offers a detailed exploration of the materials and techniques used by some of the most influential Netherlandish artists. The findings provide valuable guidance for contemporary artists seeking to incorporate historical methods into their own work.

This article reviews the key insights from the study, focusing on materials like powdered glass and zinc sulfate and the impact of pigments such as smalt, vivianite, and fluorite. By understanding how these materials were used historically, artists can make informed decisions about their own material choices and techniques.

Historical Painting Techniques: Additives for Paint Handling and Drying

Colorless Powdered Glass

One of the most significant findings of the study is the widespread use of colourless powdered glass as an additive in Netherlandish paintings. While powdered glass was first documented in Italian paintings in 2003, it has since been identified in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century paintings from across Europe.

Powdered glass was added to paints to improve drying time and handling, allowing artists to work more efficiently and layer paint more quickly. It was particularly effective when mixed with pigments known to dry slowly, such as red lakes and blacks. The glass acted as a siccative, or drying agent, helping to prevent tackiness and uneven drying.

The study reveals that the type of glass used changed over time. Early glass was typically wood ash glass, but by the late fifteenth century, high lime–low alkali glass became more common. This shift may have been due to changes in glass manufacturing techniques or the increasing availability of imported Italian glass. High lime–low alkali glass affected drying time due to its chemical composition, particularly its high calcium content (20–25%) and lower potassium levels (3.5–5%). Dirk Bouts employed high lime–low alkali glass in Christ Crowned with Thorns (NG1083) around 1470, showing that the use of this type of glass began to appear in Netherlandish paintings after 1470. Albert Cornelis used colorless powdered glass in The Magdalen in a Landscape (1520) in combination with red lake and lead white to create subtle pink hues in the angel’s robe. The presence of manganese in the glass, which can act as a siccative, may have also played a role, though it remains uncertain whether the manganese was mobile enough to influence drying directly.

For contemporary artists, powdered glass offers a way to modify the texture and drying time of oil paints. Experimenting with different types of glass—wood ash or high lime—could produce subtle variations in paint consistency and optical depth.