# data[].attributes.headline
Jan Van Eyck, Arnolfini Portrait, 1434, oil on wood, Belgium

# data[].attributes.subject
Jan Van Eyck, Arnolfini Portrait, 1434, oil on wood, Belgium

# data[].attributes.body
Artist Jan Van Eyck uses oil paint on a wood panel to depict a lavish couple, standing side-by-side in a bedroom full of expensive furniture. Van Eyck portrays their wealth through the use of rich color, as well as soft blending. The painting is very naturalistic, which can be seen in the textures such as that of the dog and the illusion of light as seen on the chandelier and the faces of the couple. The painting has a very soft and smooth feel, which can be a characteristic of oil paintings. The use of oil in this painting creates a sense of wealth as well as heightened drama.

Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021), chap. 38, 666, https://digital.wwnorton.com/histartglobalbookpreview.

# data[].attributes.headline
Antonello da Messina, St. Jerome in His Study, c.1475, Oil on wood, Venice

# data[].attributes.subject
Antonello da Messina, St. Jerome in His Study, c.1475, Oil on wood, Venice

# data[].attributes.body
Antonello da Messina introduced a new kind of realism and utilized rich color that would become a standard technique in Venetian painting. This specific painting depicts an early example of the use of oil paint in Italy, which was made of plant-based oils and pigments. The use of layering of oil paint can add depth to a painting. In his paintings, Antonello creates environments of soft lighting which creates an atmospheric haze. These elements are created by the use of oil paint.

Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021), chap. 39, 652, https://digital.wwnorton.com/histartglobalbookpreview.

# data[].attributes.headline
Titian, Venus of Urbino, 1534, Oil on canvas, Florence, Italy 

# data[].attributes.subject
Titian, Venus of Urbino, 1534, Oil on canvas, Florence, Italy 

# data[].attributes.body
Titian's Venus of Urbino was one of the few European paintings that reintroduced the female nude in a reclining position. Artist Titian used oil paint to create a very soft atmosphere and made the female figure's body appear to be very smooth and organic with untouchable soft skin. Titian uses rich colors, such as the deep red of the chair she lounges on and the yellow ochre on the wall behind her. The paint feels blended and the edges of the painting are softened.
Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021), chap. 47, 769, https://digital.wwnorton.com/histartglobalbookpreview.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hans Holbein the Younger, Portrait of Anne Cleves,  c. 1539, Oil and tempera on parchment, later mounted on canvas, London, England

# data[].attributes.subject
Hans Holbein the Younger, Portrait of Anne Cleves,  c. 1539, Oil and tempera on parchment, later mounted on canvas, London, England

# data[].attributes.body
Hans Holbein's portrait of Anne Cleves was painted to show off Anne Cleves as a candidate for marriage. Her dress is painted a deep red with golden decorations, making her appear to be wealthy. Holbein had to impress the young woman's father as well, as he was invited into his home, which lavishly demonstrated their wealth as well as his daughter's worthiness to be married to Henry VIII. The rich colors of oil paint make it easier for Holbein to create layers and blend colors, to create a warm portrait. Utilizing oil paint on parchment, Holbein was able to create a lavish experience, while also depicting Anne as a naturalistic and average woman. Her skin appears soft and the overall painting appears to be crisp and welcoming.
Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021), chap. 48, 785-86, https://digital.wwnorton.com/histartglobalbookpreview.

# data[].attributes.headline
El Greco, Burial of the Count of Orgaz, 1586-88, Oil on canvas, Church of Santo Tome, Toledo, Spain

# data[].attributes.subject
El Greco, Burial of the Count of Orgaz, 1586-88, Oil on canvas, Church of Santo Tome, Toledo, Spain

# data[].attributes.body
El Greco's painting depicts the burial of Count Orgaz, a nobleman. The painting fits into a vault at the Church of Santo Tome and is full of naturalistic faces that gather around the burial of the nobleman. St. Stephen and St. Augustine are two figures in the front of the image, they are depicted in rich golden robes. Above the burial, heaven is depicted with dream-like, wispy brushstrokes that are blending together to create a hazy atmosphere. The clouds combine with the drapes, and the overlaying of colors create a busy atmosphere. The use of oil painting assists naturalism, as well as develops a hazy atmosphere that blends colors together and adds drama to the scene playing out in front of the viewer.
Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021), chap. 48, 781,https://digital.wwnorton.com/histartglobalbookpreview.

# data[].attributes.headline
Caravaggio, David with the Head of Goliath, 1609-10, Oil on canvas, Rome

# data[].attributes.subject
Caravaggio, David with the Head of Goliath, 1609-10, Oil on canvas, Rome

# data[].attributes.body
Artist Caravaggio created pieces that held strong emotional impact. In his piece "David with the Head of Goliath," he used tenebrism, or the hard contrast between light and dark, which provides drama to the image. Caravaggio utilizes dark shadows, blending his figures into the background to further push that sense of drama. The image also portrays David's strength, not only through subject and composition but through the colors he chose and the creation of such a dark and looming atmosphere. The painting provides rich realism, especially found within the faces of the men and among the shadows and folds of fabric on David's body. He created a very violent image, given the extremeness of a severed head with blood gushing out his mouth and was able to heighten the horror with tenebrism and the use of color and shadow. The use of oil in this painting is important to the drama and horror Caravaggio has created.
Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021), chap. 53, 860 https://digital.wwnorton.com/histartglobalbookpreview.

# data[].attributes.headline
Rembrandt, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, 1632, Oil on Canvas, Amsterdam

# data[].attributes.subject
Rembrandt, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, 1632, Oil on Canvas, Amsterdam

# data[].attributes.body
Rembrandt's painting "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp," took a new approach on the portrait. He painted a group portrait that utilized realism and dramatic lighting. He used a very light and pale tone to differentiate the skin on the cadaver from the skin of the figures gathered around him. The background is dark and shadowy, creating an intimate atmosphere and a dramatic lighting that illuminates the faces of the figures. For most of the oil paintings the colors are muted but also very deep. For this painting the colors are also rich and deep, adding to the drama of the painting.
Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021), chap. 54, 876 https://digital.wwnorton.com/histartglobalbookpreview.

# data[].attributes.headline
Judith Leyster, Young Flute Player, c. 1630-35, Oil on canvas, Holland

# data[].attributes.subject
Judith Leyster, Young Flute Player, c. 1630-35, Oil on canvas, Holland

# data[].attributes.body
Judith Leyster's painting of a young flute player is known as a genre painting, which is a painting of an everyday scene of life. In this case, a young boy is depicted playing his flute. By the use of oil paint, Judith Leyster was able to create a dramatic and artful scene of the boy. The softness of the colors creates an enlightened atmosphere, with the boy's face illuminating from a light that appears to be a window in front of him. The blending of colors from light to dark helps create realism, especially within the jacket of the boy, where you can clearly see the folds of the fabric. The use of oil in this painting provides the atmosphere for the genre painting, which feels civilian, but also creative and intellectual. The artist used deep tones to heighten the drama of the piece.
Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021), chap. 54, 879-880, https://digital.wwnorton.com/histartglobalbookpreview.