Painting in Termpera, c.1900

The use of tempera paints in easel painting around 1900 has gradually evolved in recent years to become a field of art technological research in its own right at SIK-ISEA.

It emerged that the usage of this extremely heterogeneous paint type was not confined to one region around 1900, but was popular all over Europe. Clearly, therefore, research needed to reflect this in a broad approach. In the autumn of 2010, SIK-ISEA worked with a London institution, Art Analysis and Research, to set up an international network of art technologists known as the "Tempera group".

In the last four years, the group has investigated a number of hitherto unexplored aspects of "tempera" as a historical phenomenon, meeting regularly for colloquia. The findings of this joint research are now to be published as Volume 4 in SIK-ISEA's series KUNSTmaterial.

In the last four years, the group has investigated a number of hitherto unexplored aspects of "tempera" as a historical phenomenon, meeting regularly for colloquia. The findings of this joint research are now to be published as Volume 4 in SIK-ISEA's series KUNSTmaterial.