All about canvases is not just support. The painting canvas is, in fact, the fundamental support of the artist, the third element of an essential trio that for centuries has given humanity real masterpieces. Yet, the canvas has not always been at the center of the artistic world, quite the contrary. In this article, we will talk about the history of the painting canvas, the various types on the market, and some curiosities that will make you think again about the ‘monotony’ of the canvases, which in some cases are much more than the simple ‘support’ of our paintings.
The use of pictorial canvases over the centuries
The history of visual materials is not always as precise as we would like, and this inaccuracy is also repeated in the case of canvases for painting. For example, it is generally believed that this medium was invented in the 15th century in Northern Europe. Still, historical sources show us that the use of the canvas, in reality, has much more distant roots. Until the end of the Middle Ages, however, the use of this support was completely marginal: why, from a certain point on, the canvas became the main base on which to paint?
Until the 14th century, the pictorial works mainly consisted of frescoes and paintings executed on large wooden boards. The client, in most cases, was the Church, which preferred large formats made on site. It was true for all of Europe, except for England, where a new type of request began to develop, no longer coming from ecclesiastical circles, but from the nobles.
In these cases, large sacred scenes aimed at impressing the faithful were no longer asked, but portraits or other subjects which, in most cases, required the use of more contained and also manageable supports., therefore suitable for transport: no longer, therefore, frescoes, nor large and heavy wooden boards. In England, and shortly after in Flanders, starting from the fifteenth century, the pairing of canvas and easel thus spread.
The fast spread of the canvas is not surprising. This support was not only not deteriorated by the Venetian climate but offered many new opportunities in any environment. In the first place, it lent itself both to the creation of tiny paintings and the creation of huge images – think, for example, of The Last Supper by Tintoretto, a canvas measuring 365 × 568 centimeters. It was also easily transportable, as well as cheaper. This support also spread together with oil colors, imported from Northern Europe shortly before, which gave their best on lotus drawing.
To understand the general and lasting appreciation for this support, it is sufficient to look at a singular custom developed in France between the 18th and 19th centuries. In many cases, old paintings were transferred from the plates to the canvas, using a technique parallel to that of the tear in the world of frescoes.
The painting canvas today
Therefore, the canvases we use today are the result of centuries and centuries of improvements and refinements. The canvases that are the most popular are those that, made through universal preparation, lend themselves to being purchased and used with oil colors, acrylic colors, and so on. The classic support is composed of the intertwining of linen fibers or hemp and jute.
To make these supports more accessible, however, other materials have gradually spread, such as cotton and synthetic fibers, which over the years have improved their respective performances. In any case, it isn’t easy to find a better canvas than linen ones. Let’s see in detail, in any case, what are the alternatives in terms of materials for painting canvases.
The primer is fundamental, that is, the process by which a canvas is prepared and is, therefore, “ready” to paint using your favorite technique, whether it be oil, acrylic, tempera … Do you want to know how to imprint your raw canvas? Then read our guide on “How to prepare a canvas?”.
The various types of canvas for painting
Linen canvas: let’s start with what we have already announced as the best among the canvases for painting on the market. But why is the support made from the Linaceae plant the most appreciated? The main feature of the linen canvas is the very dense texture, which lends itself perfectly to the creation of portraits. But that’s not all: in its favor, there is also the excellent resistance over time, by the opposition to traction and changes in temperature and humidity. As is well known, besides being the one with the best performances, the linen canvas is also the one with the highest costs – especially in the case of extra-fine linen fabrics.
Cotton canvas: we could define it as the second choice par excellence, even if, as we will see shortly, there is an intermediate step between the cotton canvases and the linen ones. Here too, we are dealing with a very dense plot. The resistance of cotton canvases, however, is not comparable to that of linen supports.
Linen blend canvas: this is the canvas chosen by those who want the characteristics of linen but do not intend to spend too much. Therefore, this type is prevalent: in painting with acrylic colors, it must always choose with a universal preparation.
Cotton blend canvas: in this case, we are not dealing with a 100% cotton canvas, but rather with a mixture of cotton and synthetic fibers (and therefore nylon or polyester). The price falls further, but with it also the resistance to tractions. Furthermore, these canvases can cause unwanted light plays, thus ruining the works of the most demanding painters.