Product description
This item can only be shipped to the EU
Tempera was invented in Ancient Egypt. Use it to paint temples, reliefs, papyrus, and tombs — just as the ancient Egyptians did. The Greeks and Romans adopted it, and it remained in use through the Late Middle Ages. Sometimes entire temple or church walls were painted with tempera.
Making tempera involves grinding materials into powdered pigments, then mixing them with egg yolk and water. It is difficult to produce, which is why oil paint gained popularity quickly around the Renaissance.
This set is ideal for painting busts and reliefs. It includes 17 different colors in 7-gram tubes.
Some pigments used in historical tempera were extremely dangerous. Painters used heavy metals — arsenic for yellow and lead white for white. The monks who created illuminations during the Early Middle Ages must have known that certain colors were harming their health. Today, tempera is completely safe, and those pigments are no longer sold — not even for art historical research.
