Egg tempera

DEFINITION

Paint for which egg yolk is the binder, it is mixed with water and pigment, and when exposed to air and sunlight, it becomes very durable. The process is from the ancient Egyptians whose sarcophagi are decorated with egg tempera that is still intact today. It is very fast drying so does not lend itself to blending very well. Egg tempera was the primary form of painting until the introduction of oils in the 15th century. At first, and in some cases still today, oils were painted over the tempera painting to enhance the darker colors. Some of the more famous painters to use egg tempera in the 20th and 21st centuries have been Andrew Weyth, Robert Vickery, and Paul Cadmus. Source: Ralph Mayer, "A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques"; Kimberley Reynolds and Richard Seddon , "Illustrated Dictionary of Art Terms" <br><br>A watercolor medium used for permanent, fine works.Examples of works painted in egg tempera:Andrew Wyeth (American, 1917-), Dodges Ridge, 1947, egg tempera on fiberboard, 41 x 48 inches (104.2 x 122.0 cm), National Museum of American Art, Washington, D.C.Related resources: Chalkboard&#39;s notes on egg tempera painting. Chalkboard is produced by Ralph Larmann, a member of the art faculty at the University of Evansville, IN. Also see American Watercolor Society (AWS), distemper, paint, painting, and tempera.