Oil paintings have survived hundreds of years, and today we are fortunate
to view many old master paintings not unlike the way they were when
the paint was freshly dried. Others have sadly faded or darkened,
have had their surfaces eroded and abraded (as seen on the left),
or have been chipped or scratched. The quality of an artists technique
goes a long way in determining how a painting has survived, but
conservation and care is also a major factor in preserving it in
good condition.
Basically, paint is a pigment, usually from a mineral or metal
source such as cadmium, lapis lazuli, or lead, but sometimes from
 organic
dyes, which is ground to a fine powder. This is mixed with a binder
that glues the powder together into a paste, and then glues it to
the support surface. In egg tempera, egg yolk is used; linseed or
poppy oil, properly refined, is the binder for oil paintings. Canvas
(linen) is the usual support for oils, wood panels for tempera,
although many oils have been painted on wood, as seen here.
Without the proper care, paintings can be damaged by sunlight,
damp and humidity, dirt, and mishandling. Pigments, for example,
have different light-fast ratings. Some colours are very permanent
- the ultramarine blues (lapis lazuli) of Titian and Vermeer still
radiate with a brilliant glow. Other colours will fade rapidly.
Either way, no work of art should be hung in direct sunlight, and
a good varnish will help protect a painting's permanence.
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