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 Columbus - Hilliard
Mid-Century Modern Upholstered Armchair
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Tiffany & Co. "Man in the Moon" Sterling Silver Baby Rattle, 2008-2023
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Mesh Bib Necklace
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
14K 1.00 CTW Diamond Band
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.
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Still Life Oil Painting of Iced Tea in Mason Jar With Lemon Slice
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Garncarek Aleksander Pond Landscape Oil Painting "Staw," 2024
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Mid Century Modern Style Walnut Sculpted Front Nightstand Commode
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Rejina Pyo x Projekt Produkt RP-11 C03 Sunglasses
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.
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Rookwood Pottery Floral Basket Art Tile, Early to Mid 20th Century
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Hudson River School Oil Painting of a Hunter on a Lake, Late 19th Century
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
English Georgian Style Pine Two-Drawer Table with Carved Skirt, 19th Century
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Wooded Landscape Oil Painting of Pond
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.
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Eastlake Style Birdseye Maple and Single Drawer Desk, Late 19th Century
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Ballard Designs "Garden District" Mirrors in Weathered Finish
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Alfio Grasso Oil Painting of Seated Nude "Sunset," 1970
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Halftone Print After Tadashi Asoma's "Lily Pond in Summer"
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.
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
18K Cyma Quartz Wristwatch
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
U.S. Army Type A-4 Leather Navigator's Briefcase, Mid-20th Century
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
José M. Lima Floral Still Life Oil Painting, 2023
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Oster Bread Maker and The Juiceman Kitchen Appliances
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.”