Final answer:
Jan van Eyck used oil-based paint as the medium for his artwork, which allowed him to add intricate detail and achieve a luminous quality in his paintings. The paint was made by adding pigment to linseed or walnut oil, providing a flexible and slow-drying medium.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jan van Eyck, a renowned Northern Renaissance painter, is recognized for mastering the medium of oil-based paint in his artwork. Van Eyck's innovative handling of oil paint allowed him to attain a luminous quality and intricate detail in his paintings that were far superior to those possible with other media of the time. The oil paint used by van Eyck was primarily composed of pigments mixed with binders like linseed or walnut oil, which offered greater flexibility, slower drying time, and a richer palette for creating layers of translucent glazes. This technique led to the realistic depiction of light, texture, and form, revolutionizing the art of painting during the Renaissance.