Centuries before humanism and the invention of oil-based paint helped bring about the Renaissance, tempera artists worked with color, symbol and religious imagery to teach and inspire the masses. Here we look at how some of these techniques were used and how they evolved as painting moved from the abstract and toward representations of the real world.

The Crucifixion and the Development of Realism

Saints and Their Attributes

Madonna and the Portrayal of Space and Depth

The Symbolism of Color

The Devil and Demons in Medieval Art