A.C.E. Series: What Makes An Oil Painting Valuable
1. Antiquity
Though historical evidence points to oil-based paints being used as early as 1124, it wasn’t until the 15th century in Northern Europe when artist Jan van Eyck is credited to have invented the medium of painting with oil paints on wood supports.
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
KitchenAid Artisan Series Yellow 5 Quart Stand Mixer With Accessories
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Henredon Houndstooth-Upholstered English Roll-Arm Easy Chair
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14K Enameled Champagne Bottle Charm
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Drexel Custom-Painted and Parcel-Gilt Media Armoire, Late 20th Century
2. Longevity
“Oil paint is a durable medium that lasts hundreds of years,” says McMillan. “It is created with pigments suspended in a drying oil, usually linseed. The medium is chosen for its flexibility and vibrancy as it can be applied in varying thickness and technique.” Its longevity is why we can enjoy and appreciate the artwork from centuries ago.
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Watson Sterling Baby Utensils with Floral Motif and Dog Portrait
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English Cut Glass Decanters with Sterling Silver Rims and Decanter Tags, 1930s
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1950s Rhinestone Miriam Haskell Brooch
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Dee Sudbury Impressionist Landscape Oil Painting Of Flower Field, Late 20th C.
3. Quality and Effect
While most of what we consider masterpieces come from great oil painters such as da Vinci and Rembrandt, oil remains a prominent medium for contemporary art. The versatility, color, textural properties and workability rival other mediums to this day.
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Hermès "Les Cles" Burgundy and Gold Silk Scarf
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Robert Noble Oil Painting Genre Scene of Man Carrying Ladder, 1878
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Fred Aris Serigraph After Paul Klee "Figure in the Garden"
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Lenox "Holiday" and "Holiday Nouveau" Porcelain Dinnerware and Serving Bowl
4. Complexity of Materials
Most Renaissance or Baroque painters spent years as pupils or apprentices learning to mix paint for master artists. This knowledge included knowing the properties of the pigments such as hue, permanence, chroma, lightfastness, compatibility with other pigments, drying attributes. On top of grinding pigments, memorizing binder-to-pigment proportions, and being able to determine whether or not a particular pigment required the addition of a siccative or extender before being ready for use, these students had to maintain the hue and consistency of the colors for up to a year or more on large-scale artworks.
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Jack Meanwell Abstract Oil Pastel Drawing, Late 20th Century
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Large Louis XV Style Painted Trumeau Mirror
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Machine-Stitched Fabric 48-Star American Flag, Mid to Late 20th C.
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Swedish Vicke Lindstrand for Kosta Glass "Feathers" Etched Glass Bowl
5. Drying Time
Oil has a much slower drying time, and layers must dry before the next is applied. Thicker applications of oil paint potentially take up to six months or longer to completely dry, and a completed painting usually takes up to a year to dry before it can be sealed with varnish.
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Bernhardt Baroque Style Walnut-Stained and Rope-Carved Armchair
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Citizen Two-Tone Eco-Drive Wristwatch
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Painted Wood Rocking Horse
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Orrefors "Orion" Bowl, Marquis by Waterford "Gemini" Holder With Salt and Pepper
6. Collectible Timelessness.
According to McMillan, “Oil paintings are an easy transition for someone who is new to collecting contemporary art.” While many contemporary oil paintings can lean towards the abstract or minimalist, McMillan states that there are “also quite a few living artists creating in technique similar to the plein air artists of the 19th century.”