The first known oil paintings were created in the eastern world, specifically in the region of modern-day Afghanistan, around the mid-8th century. These early oil paintings were created using a mixture of pigments ground into a paste with a binder made from a type of oil, such as poppyseed oil or walnut oil. The paint was applied to a variety of surfaces, including wood, plaster, and canvas, and was used to create both religious and secular artwork.

Oil painting as we know it today, however, was developed in the 15th century by the van Eyck brothers, Jan and Hubert, who are credited with developing the technique of oil painting as we know it today. They used a mixture of oil, resin, and pigments to create a durable, long-lasting paint that could be applied in thin, transparent layers to create a more realistic and detailed painting.

The van Eyck brothers’ innovations in oil painting techniques laid the foundation for the development of oil painting as a medium and paved the way for its widespread use in the centuries that followed. Today, oil painting is still a popular medium for creating paintings and is used by artists all over the world.