Pair of Oil Paintings on Zinc Abruzzese Pastoral Scenes Late 1800s

Pair of oil paintings on zinc, depicting pastoral scenes, created in Central Italy at the end of the 19th century.

Ø cm 47 h cm 41 including frame

The zinc support for painting consists of a metal sheet, usually thin, made primarily of zinc. It may sometimes be alloyed with other metals such as copper to improve its workability. It was a fairly popular support in the 19th century, especially for plein air painting due to its lightness and portability compared to canvas on stretchers.

Zinc offers a very smooth and uniform surface, ideal for detailed paintings and achieving precision effects.
Zinc is a corrosion-resistant metal, so if prepared correctly, the painting can last a long time.
Compared to materials like wood or canvas mounted on a frame, zinc is lighter and therefore easier to transport.