Dear Collectors,

I am honored to have the privilege of showcasing one of art history's oldest mediums; a medium predating oil, acrylic, and watercolor.

Before mass production, and before oil paint, an artist had to make a medium called egg tempera in order to create works of art.

Egg tempera medium is made with egg, water, and natural pigments collected from around the world. The medium is prepared by separating the egg yolk from the white. The yolk sac is then punctured and drained into a glass bowl full of water. After mixing the two to make a paste, a bit of ground pigment is then ground into the mixture. The consistency is akin to melted ice cream according to Daniel Ambrose, our resident expert.

The nature of egg tempera paint requires that it be painted on a traditional gesso ground, made with natural glue, titanium white, and champagne chalk. To make the gesso, Daniel Ambrose measures and mixes the glue granules with water, heats the mixture in a double boiler, and then refrigerates it overnight. 

The next day, he reheats it and sifts in the chalk and titanium white, stirring them into the warm glue. The warmed gesso is then brushed onto a wood panel; seven coats, seven days, sanded between each layer. 

"The Birth of Venus" is by far the most famous egg tempera painting in history. Not only was the painting beautiful, it was influential and changed the trajectory of nude subjects. 

Egg tempera is one of the most important painting mediums in the history of Western art because it shaped artistic excellence for over a thousand years. From Byzantine icons to the masterpieces of the early Renaissance, it was the medium through which generations of artists developed extraordinary technical skill. 

Unlike oil paint, egg tempera dries almost instantly, leaving little opportunity to blend, erase, or continually revise. Every brushstroke must be deliberate, with form and light built slowly through hundreds of thin, transparent layers. The medium demands exceptional patience, precision, and discipline, rewarding careful planning over spontaneity. 

Though largely replaced by oil paint in the 15th century, egg tempera remains prized by those who admire the dedication and patience required to create with the medium.

Collect Your Very First Egg Tempera Painting Today

We hope you love the fascinating history of egg tempera as much as we do! Egg tempera is an exceptional, historic medium that we wish to remain in the contemporary world.

We are thrilled to share these exceptional works with you.

Sincerely,
Jordan & The Thomsen Fine Art Team