Questions & Answers
Our trusted network of 1stDibs sellers answer common questions
When was oil paint invented?
1 Answer
Oil paint was invented during the 7th century A.D. The earliest examples of oil paintings have been traced to Afghanistan and depict scenes related to the Buddhist religion. Records dating back to the 12th century indicate that early Christian monks in Europe used oil paints to decorate furniture, and a century later, some artists began finishing tempera paintings with touches of oil paint. It wasn't until the 15th century that oil paints became a common medium for European painters, when Flemish artists like Jan van Eyck began favoring them over tempera. Explore a variety of oil paintings on 1stDibs.
1stDibs ExpertFebruary 27, 2024
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Shop for Oil Paintings on 1stDibs
Henri-Georges Bréard, Self-Portrait, Oil Painting
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This early to mid-20th-century self-portrait by Henri-Georges Bréard (1873-c.1939) depicts the artist deep in thought. He’s holding a pipe.
Henri-Georges Bréard was an accomplished ...
Category
1930s Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Low Tide The Minnows. Islands, Cornwall. Padstow. Original Impasto Oil Painting.
By Nancy Bailey
Located in Sutton Poyntz, Dorset
Nancy Bailey.
English ( b.1913 - d.2012 ).
Low Tide on The Minnows, Cornwall, 1972.
Oil on Canvas. Signed.
Image size 19.3 inches x 39.4 inches ( 49cm x 100cm ).
Frame size 25.4 inc...
Category
Late 20th Century Modern Landscape Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Cowpoke" Grackle Bird with Cowboy Hat Oil Painting by Christy Stallop
Located in Denver, CO
Christy Stallop's (US based) "Cowpoke" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a grackle bird wearing a cowboy hat.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Christy Stallop is an artist living i...
Category
2010s Surrealist Animal Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
"Bat Nap" by Shawn Sullivan, Oil Painting of Bat Man Napping with Yellow Bird
Located in Denver, CO
Shawn Sullivan's (US Based) "Bat Nap" is an original, handmade oil painting in the trompe-l'œil style that depicts Bat Man napping with a yellow bird. This piece is unframed yet read...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
"Follow Me" by Shawn Sullivan, Oil Painting of Male Mask with Red Bird
Located in Denver, CO
Shawn Sullivan's (US Based) "Follow Me" is an original, handmade oil painting in the trompe-l'œil style that depicts a male mask with a red bird. This piece is unframed yet ready to ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
"Rambo" by Carrie Goller, Oil Painting of Racoon with Flower Crown
Located in Denver, CO
Carrie Goller's "Rambo" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a racoon with a floral crown of purple flowers and foliage. This piece is unframed yet ready to hang.
Bo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Animal Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel, Encaustic