Watercolor

Watercolor, painting technique in which the pigment is mixed with water before application, such as fresco and tempera, but more particularly the aquarelle technique of thin washes. Ancient Egyptians produced watercolor paintings, and the medium was used during and after the Renaissance by, among others, Rembrandt and Van Dyck. The aquarelle technique was mastered by such English artists as John Cotman and J.M.W. Turner around 1800. Watercolor permits powerful effects of transparency, brilliance, and delicacy. Important U.S. watercolorists include Winslow Homer and John Marin.