In medieval Europe, where literacy was rare, cathedrals and monasteries were adorned with frescoes and painted panels depicting biblical stories. One such work, "The Mocking of Christ" by Cimabue, is now exhibited in the Louvre. Remarkably, despite being more than 700 years old, its colors remain vivid.
The secret? Eggs!
Before the advent of oil paints, artists used tempera — a paint created by mixing pigments with egg yolk. Egg yolks contain a balanced combination of proteins, fats and vitamins, making them an ideal first food, nourishing a developing embryo until it hatches as a fully formed chick.
These same properties made egg yolks an excellent binder for paint. Their ability to emulsify both water- and oil-based substances helped pigments disperse evenly, preventing clumping or separation. As the paint dried, the yolk’s proteins and fats formed a durable, protective film that permanently adhered pigments to rigid surfaces. This made tempera highly resistant to moisture while imparting a subtle luster.
In recent years, during the Passover and Easter seasons, grocery store eggs usually have been abundant and relatively inexpensive.
To quote Joni Mitchell: “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” Let’s hope that sentiment never applies to public broadcasting.
