oil-painting known before the time of Van
Eyck; but it remains a question in what kind of works and with what
degree of refinement this system had been applied. The passages in
Eraclius refer only to ornamental work, imitations of marble, etc.; and
although, in the records of Ely cathedral, the words "pro ymaginibus
super columnas depingendis" may perhaps be understood as referring to
paintings of figures, the applications of oil, which are distinctly
determinable from these and other English documents, are merely
decorative; and "the large supplies of it which appear in the
Westminster and Ely records indicate the coarseness of the operations
for which it was required." Theophilus, indeed, mentions tints for
faces--_mixturas vultuum_; but it is to be remarked that Theophilus
painted with a liquid oil, the drying of which in the sun he expressly
says "in _ymaginibus_ et aliis picturis diuturnum et taediosum nimis
est." The oil generally employed was thickened to the consistence of a
varnish. Cennini recommends that it be kept in the sun until reduced one
half; and in the Paris copy of Eraclius we are told that "the longer the
oil remains in the sun the better it will be." Such a vehicle entirely
precluded delicacy of execution.

* * *

"Paintings entirely executed with the thickened vehicle, at a time when
art was in the very lowest state, and when its votaries were ill
qualified to contend with unnecessary difficulties, must have been of
the commonest description. Armorial bearings, patterns, and similar
works of mechanical decoration, were perhaps as much as could be
attempted.

"Notwithstanding the general reference to flesh-painting, 'e cosi fa
dello incarnare,' in Cennini's directions, there are no certain examples
of pictures of the fourteenth century, in which the flesh is executed in
oil colors. This leads us to inquire what were the ordinary applications
of oil-painting in Italy at that time. It appears that the method, when
adopted at all, was considered to belong to the complemental and merely
decorative parts of a picture. It was employed in portions of the work
only, on draperies, and over gilding and foils. Cennini describes such
operations as follows. 'Gild the surface to be occupied by the drapery;
draw on it what ornaments or patterns you please; glaze the unornamented
intervals with verdigris ground in oil, shading some folds twice. Then,
when this is dry, glaze the same color ov