In 1980, I purchased Robert Vickrey’s book Robert Vickrey Artist at Work. It was a book about advanced techniques in egg tempera with step by step demonstrations. I mostly purchased the book for all the exhibits of beautiful paintings. I was overwhelmed by this man’s talent for not only painting with egg tempera, but the fabulous compositions. Until this time, the only other egg tempera artist that I was aware of was Andrew Wyeth, a person whose artwork I had admired since the first time I laid eyes on the original painting, Christina’s World.

Using egg yolks as a binder for paint pigments goes all the way back in antiquity. It was very popular with the Italian Renaissance artists. It went out of fashion in the 1400s after artists began to transition to oil paints. The popularity of the medium has risen and fallen and risen again over the centuries. In the 19th century it had a serious revival which continues to today. However, it amazes me how many “everyday” people I talk to are unfamiliar with the medium.

Although, I first discovered egg tempera paintings with Wyeth’s famous painting in the 60s and revitalized my interest in the 80s with Robert Vickrey’s works  and became very much a fan of George Tooker’s works in the early 90s, which lasts even unto this day, I have never convinced myself to paint with this medium. It is on my “bucket list”, and I will accomplish this attempt one day. Recently, I have been reviewing the websites and books on the market today of artist that work in this venue, and I am excited about what seems to be a new resurgence of the medium. Best of luck to all you that paint with this wonderful medium.

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