Scientists have discovered that famous painters such as Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, and others experimented with mixing egg yolk with oil paint to help the paints resist moisture and prevent wrinkling and yellowing
A study published by Nature Communications said that research into the painting habits of master painters “could improve the preservation of priceless works of art.”
And while protein residues have been discovered in masterpieces before, the study showed that the inclusion of eggs was likely intentional.
In the study, experts found that adding eggs to oil paintings “acts as an antioxidant, slowing down the onset of processing.” So this formula helps to prevent paint damage.
Study author Ophelie Ranke, from the Institute of Mechanical Process Engineering and Mechanics of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, said: “There are very few written sources on this topic and no scientific studies that made to investigate this issue before. Our results show that even with a very small amount of egg yolk, the properties of oil paint It shows that you can achieve incredible transformations, and it shows how useful it is for artists. ”
When scientists studied the effects of using egg yolk proteins in oil, they found that egg proteins prevent water absorption in paint in humid environments.
The study found that adding eggs while the paintings were drying also helped prevent yellowing and wrinkles from appearing in the painting – “a problem even Leonardo da Vinci faced.”
The work “gives us the opportunity to admire their masterpieces, which are still intact today,” the artists said.
Source: ScienceAlert
Source: Arabic RT
