Italian artists favored tempera, the method of suspending powered pigments in oils like linseed or sometimes walnut. One large difference from the Northern oils was that tempera had to be precisely applied as it dried almost immediately. Also, tempera has an opaque finish which did not allow light to penetrate to the lower layers not allowing the reflections, this resulted in a matte or dull finish unless a layer of varnish is applied to give the painting a sheen.
As we notice in figure 12-4 below, we see that the artists stay with some of the Christian features so well known in the Gothic and Romanesque periods except for a much more real or
Cited: Stokstad, Marilyn. Cothren, Michael W. “Art: A Brief History.” Fifth Edition. College Art. (2012) http://www.architecturecourses.org/ziggurat-ur. Figure 12-4. Windows Internet Explorer. Google Images. (02/02/2014). “Ghent Altarpiece.” https://www.google.com/search/ghent/altarpiece/. Figure 12-7. Windows Internet Explorer. Google Images. (02/02/2014). “Portinari Altarpiece.” https://www.google.com/search/portinari/altarpiece/. Figure 13-9. Windows Internet Explorer. Google Images. (02/02/2014). “David.” https://www.google.com/search/david/. Figure 13-10. Windows Internet Explorer. Google Images. (02/02/2014). “Interior, Sistine Chapel.” https://www.google.com/search/interior/sistine/chapel/. Figure 13-12. Windows Internet Explorer. Google Images. (02/02/2014). “Creation of Adam.” https://www.google.com/search/creation/of/adam/.