Bibliography: Historical Painting, Drawing and Treatises

If you have corrections or suggestions for any of the Essential Vermeer Online Bibliographies, please send them to the author and webmaster of this site, jonathanjanson@essentialvermeer.com.

Drawing and painting manuals emerged as practical guides for artists, often aimed at teaching techniques, styles, and methods for creating art. These manuals became especially prominent during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, reflecting a growing emphasis on systematic training and the professionalization of the arts.

Such manuals often provided step-by-step instructions, covering topics like proportions, anatomy, shading, color mixing, and compositional balance. Early examples included works like Cennino Cennini's Il Libro dell’Arte (c. 1390), which combined medieval techniques with Renaissance innovations. During the Baroque period, manuals expanded to include more sophisticated methods for capturing light, perspective, and naturalistic detail.

These texts were widely disseminated, thanks in part to the printing press, and reached audiences across Europe and beyond. They were used by apprentices in workshops, members of emerging academies, and amateur artists. Drawing and painting manuals not only standardized artistic practices but also democratized knowledge, influencing the development of art for centuries.

Primary Sources

ANGEL, Philips. Lof der Schilder-konst. Leiden, 1642.
ARMENINI, Giovanni Battista. Ravenna: Francesco Tebaldini, 1587.
BALDINUCCI, Filippo. Vocabolario toscano dell'arte del disegno. Florence, 1681.
BARBARO, Daniele. La Practica della Perspettiva di Monsignor Daniele Barbaro Eletto Patriarca d'Aquileia, Opera Molto Utile a Pittori, a Scultori, & ad Architetti. Venice: Camillo and Rutilio Borgominieri. 1568.
BARDWELL, Thomas. Practical Treatise on Painting in Oil Colours. London, 1795.
BEAL, Mary, A Study of Richard Symonds: His Italian Notebooks (1649–1651) and their Relevance to 17th c Painting Techniques, Outstanding Theses from the Courtauld Institute of Art, NY, 1984.
BROWNE, Alexander. Ars pictoria: Or, An Academy Treating of Drawing, Painting, Limning and Etching. London: J. Redmayne, 1669.
BRUN, Charle Le. Méthode pour apprendre à dessiner les passions: proposée dans une conférence sur l'expression générale et particulière. Amsterdam: François van-der Plaat, 1702
BRUN, Charle Le (after). Caracteres des passions, sur le desseins de C. le Brun. London: John Bowles.1750.
CENNINO, Cennino. Il Libro dell Arte. c. 1400. (Click here for English translation)
CLARKE, Mark, The Art of All Colours: Mediaeval Recipe Books for Painters and Illuminators (London: Archetype Publications, Ltd.) 2001.
CLEAVER, Elizabeth. An Account of a New Process in Painting. In Two Parts. Part I. Containing remarks on its general correspondence with the peculiarities of the Venetian School. Part II. Supplementary details, explanatory of the process: with miscellaneous observations on the arts of the sixteenth century. F.C. & J. Rivington. 1821.
CLERC, Sébastien Le. Pricipes de dessein / Divers habillemens des anciens grecs et romains. Paris: G. Audran," graveur du roy..." 1700.
COLLIER, John. A Manual of Oil Painting. London: Cassel, 1887.
COX, David. A Treatise on Landscape Painting in Water Colours. London: The Studio. 1813.
DOSSIE, R. The Handmaid to the Arts...teaching a perfect knowledge of the Materia Pictoria; or the nature, use, preparation, and composition of all the various substances employed in painting...the means of delineation...the various manners of gilding, silvering, bronzing, japanning. J. Nourse. 1764.
DÜRER, Albrecht. Les quatre livres d'Albert Durer, peinctre & geometricien tres excellent, de la proportion des parties & pourtraicts des corps humains. A. Arnhem: Jean Jeansz. 1614.
DÜRER, Albrecht. Unterweisung in der Messung mit Zirkel und Richtscheit (Measurement by Compass and Ruler). München: Süddeutsche Monatsheft.
FELIBIEN, Andre, Des Principes de L 'Architecture, de la Sculpture, de la Peinture, et des autres Arts qui en dependent, 1st ed. Paris, 1699 (Famborough, UK:Gregg Press Ltd.) 1966.
FIALETTI, Odoardo. Il vero modo et ordine per dissegnar tutte le parti et membra del corpo humano. Venice: Justus Sadeler, 1608.
GOEREE, William. Inleydinge tot de al-ghemeene teycken-konst: een kritische geannoteerde editie (An Introduction to the General Art of Drawing). London: R. Pricke, 1674.
HAMILTON, John. Stereography, or, a Compleat Body of Perspective, in all its branches. Teaching to describe, by mathematical rules, the appearances of lines, plain figures, and solid bodies, rectilinear, curvilinear, and mixed, in all manners of positions. Together with their projections or shadows, and their reflections by polished planes. The whole performed by uniform, easy and general methods, for the most part entirely knew. In seven books. London: W. Bowyer. 1738.
HOOGSTRATEN, Samuel van. Inleyding tot de hooge Schoole der Schilderkonst (Introduction to the Higher Education of the Art of Painting). Rotterdam, 1678.
HUET, Jean-Baptiste. https://bibliotheque-numerique.inha.fr/collection/item/50310-cahiers-de-fragments-et-de-principes-de-dessins-de-tous-les-genres-1-18, 1778.
JAMITZER, Wenzer. Perspectiva Corporum Regularium. Nurnberg, Gotlicher Hulff. 1568
JUNIUS, Franciscus. De schilder-konst der oude begrepen in drie boecken. 1641.
LAIRESSE, Gérard de. Het Groot Schilderboek. Amsterdam, 1707; English translation, 1738.
LAIRESSE, Gérard de. The principles of drawing, or, An easy and familiar method for the improvement of youth in the practice of that useful art. 1733.
LAIRESSE, Gérard de. Grondlegginge ter teekenkonst: zynde een korte en zeekere weg om door middel van de geometrie of meetkunde, de teeken-konst volkomen te leeren. Willem de Coup. 1701.
LOMAZZO, Giovanni Paolo. Trattato dell'arte de la pittura. 1584.
MALTON, JAMES. The Young Painter's Maulstick; being a practical treatise on perspective; containing rules and principles for delineation on planes...founded on the clear mechanical process of Vinola and Siragatti; united with the theoretic principles of the celebrated Dr Brook Taylor. 1798.
MALVASIA, Carlo Cesare. Le Pitture di Bologna che nella pretesa e rimostrata fin'ora da altri maggiore antichita, e impareggiabile eccllenza nella pittura con manifesta evidenza di fatto rendono il passeggiere disingannato e instrutto dell'Ascoso Accademico Gelato., Bologna: Monti, 1706.
MAYERNE T.T. de. Pictoria, Sculptoria et quae subalternum Artium, 1620.

MERRIFIELD, M.P. Medieval and Renaissance Treatises on the Arts of Painting, Original texts with English translations, 2 vols. bound as one (Mineola, NY: Dover) 1849, 1967, 1999.
MANDER, Karel van, Het Schilder-Boeck, Haarlem, 1604.
NICERON, Jean François. La Perspective Curieuse, ou Magie Artificielle des Effets Merveilleux de l'Optique...la Catoprique...laDioptique. Paris:, Pierre Bilain, 1638.
PACHECO, Francisco. Arte de la pintura. 1646.
PALMA, il Giovane, Jacopo. Regole per imparar a disegnare i corpi humani diuise in doi libri delineati dal famoso pittor Giacomo Palma. Venice: Marco Sadeler, 1636.
PARKHURST, Daniel Burleigh. The Painter in Oil; A Complete Treatise on the Principles and Technique Necessary to the Painting of Pictures in Oil Colors. Boston: Lee and Shepard, 1898.
PECHAM, Heney. The art of dravving vvith the pen, and limming in water colours : more exactlie then heretofore taught and enlarged with the true manner of painting vpon glasse, the order of making your furnace, annealing, &c. Published, for the behoofe of all young gentlemen, or any els that are desirous for to become practicioners in this excellent, and most ingenious art. London, 1607.
PILES, Roger de.. Cours de peinture par principes avec un balance de peintres (The Principles of Painting. 1708.
PILES, Roger de. Dialogue sur le coloris (Dialogue upon Colour., 1673)
PLINY (Gaius Plinius Secundus or Pliny the Elder, A.D. 23–79), Historia Naturalis (Natural History), 10 vols., tr. D.E. Eichholz, Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1971, Bk. 35.
PRIESTLEY, JOSEPH. A Familiar Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Perspective. London: J. Johnson. 1780.
RUSKIN, John. The Elements of Drawing: In Three Letters to Beginners. London: Smith, Elder, & Co., 1857.
SMITH, John., The Art of Painting in Oil: Wherein is Included Each Particular Circumstance Relating to that Art and Mystery. 1706.
TALLEY, Mansfield Kirby, Portrait Painting in England: Studies in the Technical Literature Before 1700, published privately by The Paul Mellon Centre for studies in British Art London, 1981. [discussion of de Mayerne MS in chapter 6, 72–149]
TROILI, Giulio. Paradossi per Pratticare la Prospettiva Senza Sapperia. Bologna: Gioseffo Longhi, 1683.
VASARI, Giorgio. Vasari on technique; being the introduction to the three arts of design, architecture, sculpture and painting, prefixed to the Lives of the most excellent painters, sculptors and architects. (originally published in 1550 as an introduction to Vasari's Lives of the Artists).
VELIZ, Zahira, Artists' techniques in Golden Age Spain, Cambridge, 1986. [contains Francisc Pacheco, Arte de la pintura (Seville, 1649)]

Secondary Sources

BAKKENIST, T., R. Hoppenbrouwers and H. Dubois, eds., Early Italian Paintings, Techniques and Analysis. Proceedings of the Symposium held at the Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg, Maastricht, 9–10 October, 1996.
BEAL, Mary. Study of Richard Symonds: His Italian Notebooks and their Relevance to Seventeenth-Century Painting Techniques. New York: Garland, 1984.
BERGER, Ernst. Quellen fur Maltechnik wahrend der Renaissance und deren Folgezeit. Munich, 1901, reprint 1973. Contains de Mayerne MS, 99–364.
BOK, Martin Jan. "The Artist's Working Method," in Jan Steen, Painter and Storyteller. exh. cat., National Gallery of Art and Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Washington and Amsterdam, 1996, 86–87.
BOERSMA, Annetje. "Dou's Painting Technique: An Examination of Two Paintings," in Gerrit Dou, Master Painter in the Age of Rembrandt, Arthur K. Wheelock, Jr., ed., exh. cat., National Gallery of Art, Washington (New Haven: Yale University Press): 2000, 54–63.
BOMFORD David, Christopher Brown and Ashok Roy. Art in the Making: Rembrandt (London: National Gallery) 1988.[Glossary 144–147; Bibliographical Appendix on Training of Artists and Practice of Painting, 48–149; Select Bibliography, 150–153; Technical Literature, 154–155.
BRUSATI, Celeste. Artifice and illusion: The Art and Writing of Samuel van Hoogstraten. Chicago: University. of Chicago Press, 1995.
BUCKLOW, Spike. The Alchemy of Paint: Art, Science and Secrets from the Middle Ages, London, 2009.
DOERNER, Max.The Materials of the Artist and their use in Painting (New York: Harcourt Brace) 1934, 1984.
DUNKERTON, Jill, Susan Foister and Nicholas Penny, Durer to Veronese: Sixteenth-Century Painting in the National Gallery (New Haven and London: Yale Univ. Press and National Gallery Publications Ltd.) 1999. [especially chapters 6 through 9] 3
EASTLAKE, C. L., Methods and Materials of Painting of the Great Schools and Masters, 2 vols., London 1847, reprint, New York, 1960.
FELLER, Robert L. (vol.1), Ashok Roy, (vol.2), and Elizabeth West Fitzhugh (vol. 3), eds., Artists' Pigments: A Handbook of their History and Characteristics, 3 vols. (vol.1, Cambridge and Washington: Cambridge University Press and National Gallery of Art) 1986; (vol.2, Washington and New York: National Gallery of Art and Oxford University Press) 1993; (vol.3, Washington and New York: National Gallery of Art and Oxford University Press) 1997.
GETTENS, Rutherford J. and George L. Stout. Painting Materials: A Short Encyclopaedia. New York: Dover, 1942, 1966.
GIFFORD, E. Melanie. "Style and Technique in Dutch Landscape Painting." Historical Painting Techniques, Materials, and Studio Practice, edited by Arie Wallert, Erma Hermens. (1995): 140–147.
GIFFORD, E. Melanie. "Esaias van de Velde's Technical Innovations: Translating a Graphic Tradition into Paint." In Painting Techniques: History, Materials, and Studio Practice, IIC 1998 Dublin Congress, edited by Ashok Roy, and Perry Smith, 145–149. London: International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC), 1998.
GIFFORD, E. Melanie. "Painting Light: Recent Observations on Vermeer's Painting Technique." In New Vermeer Studies, Studies in the History of Art, vol. 55, edited by Ivan Gaskell, and Michiel Jonker, 185–199. Washington: National Gallery of Art, 1998.
GIFFORD, E. Melanie. "Landscape Painting Style and Technique: Fidelity to the 16th Century Tradition in Early 17th Century Landscape Production." In Colloque XII pour l'étude du dessin sous-jacent et de la technologie dans la peinture, edited by R. van Schoute, and H. Verougstraete, 177–188. Louvain-la-Neuve: Peeters, 1999.
GIFFORD, E. Melanie. "Evocation and Representation: Rembrandt's Landscape Painting Technique." In exh. cat. Rembrandt's Landscapes, edited by Christaan Vogelaar, and Gregor J. M. Weber, 120–143. Leiden: Stedelijk Museum het Lakenhal, 2006.
GIFFORD, E. Melanie. "Lievens' Technique: Wonders in Smeared Paint, Varnishes and Oils." In exh. cat. Jan Lievens: A Master Rediscovered, edited by Arthur K. Wheelock Jr., 40–53. Washington: National Gallery of Art, 2008.
GIFFORD, E. Melanie. "Fine Painting and Eloquent Imprecision: Gabriel Metsu's Painting Technique." In Gabriel Metsu, edited by Adriaan E. Waiboer, 154–179. Dublin: Yale University Press, 2010.
GIFFORD, E. Melanie, Anikó Bezúr, Andrea Guidi di Bagno, and Lisha Deming Glinsman. "The Making of a Luxury Image: Van Aelst's Painting Materials and Artistic Techniques." In exh. cat. Elegance and Refinement: The Still-life Paintings of Willem van Aelst, edited by Tanya Paul, 66–89. Houston and Washington: Houston Museum of Fine Arts and National Gallery of Art, 2012.
GIFFORD, E. Melanie. "Material as Metaphor: Non-conscious Thinking in Seventeenth Century Painting Practice." In Studying Old Master Paintings—Technology and Practice, edited by Marika Spring, 165–172. London: Archetype Publications, 2011.
GRAAF VAN DE, J. A. Het De Mayerne Manuscript als Bron Voor de Schildertechnick van de Barok, Mijdrecht, 1958.
GROEN, Karen and Ella Hendriks, "Frans Hals: Technical Examination," in S. Slive, ed. Frans Hals, exh. cat., National Gallery of Art, Royal Academy, Frans Halsmuseum, Washington, London and Haarlem, 1989–1990, 109–127.
HARLEY, Rosamund, Artists' Pigments c. 1600–1835: A Study in English Documentary Sources, 2nd ed., London: Bufferworth Scientific, 1982.
HOWARD, Helen, David Peggie and Rachel Billinge. "Vermeer and Technique." National Gallery website. https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/about-research/the-meaning-of-making/vermeer-and-technique

Support and ground:
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/about-research/the-meaning-of-making/vermeer-and-technique/support-and-ground
Infrared examination:
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/about-research/the-meaning-of-making/vermeer-and-technique/infrared-examination
Vermeer's palette
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/about-research/the-meaning-of-making/vermeer-and-technique/vermeer-s-palette
Binding medium:
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/about-research/the-meaning-of-making/vermeer-and-technique/binding-medium
Paint application:
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/about-research/the-meaning-of-making/vermeer-and-technique/paint-application
Secrets of the studio:
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/about-research/the-meaning-of-making/vermeer-and-technique/secrets-of-the-studio
Altered appearance of ultramarine:
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/about-research/the-meaning-of-making/vermeer-and-technique/altered-appearance-of-ultramarine
Fading of yellow and red lake pigments:
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/about-research/the-meaning-of-making/vermeer-and-technique/fading-of-yellow-and-red-lake-pigments
Drying and paint defects
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/about-research/the-meaning-of-making/vermeer-and-technique/drying-and-paint-defects
Formation of lead and zinc soaps
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/about-research/the-meaning-of-making/vermeer-and-technique/formation-of-lead-and-zinc-soaps
Infrared examination:
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/research/about-research/the-meaning-of-making/vermeer-and-technique/methods-vermeer-and-technique

JANSON, Jonathan, Looking Over Vermeer's Shoulder Seventeenth-Century Dutch Fine Painting Techniques and Studio Practices with Particular Focus on the Work of Johannes Vermeer (second edition), USA, 2020.

JANSON, Jonathan. "How Vermeer Painted," in Hound in the Hunt: Optical Aids in Art. Museum of Old Art and New, Hobart TS, 2016. 90–151

KIRBY, Jo. "The Painter's Trade in the Seventeenth Century: Theory and Practice, National Gallery Technical Bulletin, vol 20 (1999): 5–49.

KOESTER, Olaf, with contributions by Celeste Brusati, Jørgen Hein, Gunter Herzog, Ekkehard Mai, Mette Bjarnhof, and Lone Bogh. Illusions: Gijsbrechts, Royal Master of Deception, exh. cat. (Copenhagen: Statens Museum for Kunst) 1999. See especially Mette Bjamhof and Lone Bogh, "Restoration History and Study of Painting Technique, 287–305.

LANDSMAN, Rozemarijn. "Trading Paintings and Painters’ Materials 1550–1800." In Trading Paintings and Painters' Materials 1550-1800, edited by Anne Haack Christensen and Angela Jager, London and Copenhagen: Archetype Publications, 2018.

LAURIE, A.P., The Painter's Methods and Materials (NY: Dover) 1926, 1967.

MAYER, Ralph, The Artist's Handbook (NY: Viking) 1940, revised ed. 1991.

MACLEHOSE, L.S., tr., and Prof G. Baldwin-Brown, ed., Vasari on Technique (New York: Dover) 1907, 1960.

MERRIFIELD, M. Medieval and Renaissance Treatises on the Arts of Painting, 1849.

RUBIN, Patricia Lee, and Alison Wright, Renaissance Florence: The Art of the 1470's (London: National Gallery Publications) 1999.

SCHENDEL, A.F.E. van, "Manufacture of vermilion in 17th-century Amsterdam: the Pekstok papers," Studies in Conservation, 17, (1972): 70–82. [also contains recipes for Spanish green (verdigris) and schuytgeel (a yellow lake pigment.) [Peckstock Papers, Municipal Archives, Amsterdam, No. N-09-23].

TALLEY, Mansfield Kirby. Portrait Painting in England: studies in the technical literature before 1700, published privately by the Paul Mellon Centre, London 1981. [discussion of de Mayerne MS in chapter 6].

VANDERVERE, Abbie and Abbie Vandivere and Annelies van Loon. "Girl with a Blog." https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/

Who's that Girl? (Introduction to research project) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/1-whos-that-girl/
Preparing for exam ( What will happen in the Golden Room) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/2-preparing-for-the-exam/
Beauty is more than skin deep (Samples / Imaging ) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/3-beauty-is-more-than-skin-deep/
Vermeer illuminated (1994 treatment) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/5-vermeer-illuminated/
Say cheese (Technical photography) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/
A blank canvas (Canvas) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/7-a-blank-canvas/
From the ground up (Ground) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/8-from-the-ground-up/
Watching paint dry (Oil) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/9-watching-paint-dry/
Art supply and demand (Paint, and where materials come from) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/10-art-supply-and-demand/
Seeing red (Vermilion and cochineal ) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/11-seeing-red/
It's all there in black and white (Blacks and lead white ) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/12-its-all-there-in-black-and-white/
Background check (Background ) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/13-background-check/
Up close and personal (Under the microscope) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/14-up-close-and-personal/
Contouring, highlighting and blending (Skin ) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/15-contouring-highlighting-and-blending/
Dressed to impress (Yellow and browns ) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/16-dressed-to-impress/
Out of the blue (Blues) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/17-out-of-the-blue/
Glazed over (Glazes and varnish) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/18-glazed-over/
You’re crackin me up (Cracks) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/19-youre-cracking-me-up/
Wrap-up (Wrap-up) - https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/restoration-and-research/girl-with-a-blog/20-wrapup/

VANDERVERE, A., WADUM, J. & LEONHART, E. "The Girl in the Spotlight: Vermeer at Work, his Materials and Techniques in 'Girl with a Pearl Earring.'" Herit Sci 8, 20 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-020-0359-6

VAN HOUT, Nico, "Meaning and Development of the Ground-layer in Seventeenth Century Painting," Looking Through Paintings, the Study of Painting Techniques and Materials in Support of Art Historical Research, Erma Hermens, ed., (Leiden: deProm and Archetype) 1998, 199–225.

VELIZ, Zahira. Artists' Techniques in Golden Age Spain...Six treatises in translation, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1986.

WALLERT, Arie, ed. Still Lifes: Techniques and Style: An Examination of Paintings from the Rjjksmuseum, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Zwolle: Waanders Publishers, 1999.

WETERING, Ernst van de. Rembrandt The Painter at Work. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2004.

WETERING, Ernst van de."The Canvas Support," chapter 5 in Rembrandt: The Painter at Work, Oakland: University of California Press, 2000.

WETERING, Ernst van de."Canvas Research with Emil Bosshard, Remarks on Method." In Emil Bosshard, Paintings Conservator (1945–2006): Essays by Friends and Colleagues, edted by Maria de Peverelli, Marco Grassi, and Hans Christoph von Imhoff (Florence: Centro Di, 2009), 268..

WHITE, Raymond and Jo Kirby. "Rembrandt and his Circle: Seventeenth-Century Dutch Paint Media Re-Examined," National Gallery Technical Bulletin, vol.15 (London: National Gallery Publications) 1994, 64–78.