Painting Teacher Question:

Not a happy support for oils as it is a substance that is open to deterioration from a number of sources. It is difficult to control the movement of the material. There have been some instances of it being used by French painters for small-size pictures. There is a ceremonial parade shield of leather in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, which carries a painting of 'The Young David' by Andrea del Castagno; it is 45 in (1143 mm) high and tapers being 32 in (812 mm) wide at the top and 17 in (431 mm) at the bottom.