Old Master artists ‘used egg yolk in their paint to overcome humidity issues’

Sandro Botticelli, the Lamentation of Christ (Bavarian State Painting Collections, Munich)

Old Master artists such as Sandro Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci may have added egg yolk to their oil paintings to overcome problems with humidity, surface wrinkling and yellowing, research suggests.

Scientists say the findings improve their understanding of why these artists added protein, such as egg yolk, to their oil paintings and may aid in the conservation and preservation of some Old Masters’ artworks.