“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt,” said Leonardo Da Vinci, a revolutionary painter who got imprinted in history during the Renaissance period. His classic painting, Mona Lisa met the canvas in 1503 but still dances on the lips of every child and adult even today with equal grace.

Apart from his absolute genius and exquisitely moving brush, the fact that it was oil-on-canvas got it in the hall of fame. And at present there is a gamut of custom painting reproduction of the same to décor your abode or office or art gallery.

What makes oil paintings so unique?

Oil paintings stand out like a lily among roses due to the perfect fusion where colours are seen intertwining freely. The oil contributes to a smooth texture alongside suspending a crisp exterior which makes these paintings so unique.

The depth of a person can be replicated in his portrait due to the flexibility of colour oil paints provide and the techniques like airy thin strokes and dense blots. Moreover, artists can play with their paint longer as it takes some hours to dry off.

Now, rather than talking about what goes into it, let’s talk about what comes out of it. Mostly, oil paintings were earlier used to depict the ways of a particular civilisation and other such issues associated with it. It became popular and a more organic form of expression for artists especially around Renaissance and dragged many artists to glory.

Oil Paintings that rest in museums

Oil paintings are the epitome of antiquity that go way back to ancient times when man first befriended art. Even though European history dictates the origin of oil paintings to the 15^th century but alas, they were proven erroneously wrong by new experiments.

Many caves in Asia hoard descriptive paintings with perfected oil painting techniques made out of drying oils and inorganic pigments. They’ve stood the turmoils of time from the seventh century as they had a multitude of layers.

Similarly, the artists throughout centuries have toyed around with various pigments to immortalise their paintings and prevent their eventual death. Like the handmade oil painting, Sunflower of Van Gogh still resides in all its glory at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

But is one classic enough?

There can never be enough art in the world and especially, never enough of artists like Van Gogh and Da Vinci. These artists have left a part of themselves for us, a story to be told in these works of theirs.

So, consequently there will be a huge demand for them. But, the cost of these classic paintings will be too big a burden on the pocket of the bourgeoisies. This is when the mass production tools came in handy to us. Now, these artists glow up the walls of the art gallery down the lane and the one after that which leads us to the final question.

Is it possible to recreate museum quality oil paintings?

Absolutely! With the amount of talent that we harbour, it is possible! There’s no protein induced oil paint that our synthetic oils can’t compete with. Of course these indigenous oil paints had more grip but we make wonders with what we got.

Museum quality oil paintings are of the level where the onlookers, no matter how big the art critic, cannot distinguish whether the painting is an original or a replica.

The level where a replica can be passed as an original can only be achieved by refined tones and definite brush strokes, basically by highly professional artists. Art galleries, private collectors, etc reproduce classics which are in high demand to keep the flame of the artists alive.

Technology has got us seated on a soft cushioned sofa where we comfortably demand and it is just delivered to us. Similarly, oil paints that mirror the effect of say, a Monet painting can be fabricated to be put all over a high quality canvas to try and replicate his strokes. And that’s exactly what goes into a Museum level oil painting. That and obviously the midnight’s oil (pun intended).

This is usually done not just to suffice all the art mongers out there but also for security purposes so that the original works of art are kept safe and secure for the generations to come.

Many oil paintings are now available are just a click of the mouse. Many art galleries reproduce museum quality handmade oil paintings which are then made available online. You can buy Monet’s Impression, Sunrise and enjoy the sunset with your beloved while sipping aromatic coffee. It’s never too late to add a little essence of the 19^th century in your humble abode.