BRUGES, John of

BRUGES, John of, (real name, John van Eick), a celebrated Flemish painter, and the first who discovered the method of painting in oil, flourished in the 15th century. He found in the course of his chemical ex-

periments (to which science he also applied himself), that, by grinding colours with linseed or nut oil, he could form them into a solid body which would resist the water, and not need the varnish used in painting the water colours or in fresco. He presented the first picture painted in this manner to Alphonse I. king of Naples, who was much pleased with it.