History

• Wood panels have been used in art for centuries. Prior to the introduction of canvas as the primary base material for art from the medieval to the modern period, wood panels served as the primary base for paintings that were intended to be portable. Panel painting continued after the introduction of canvas, with many painters such as Rubens and Goya continuing to use them due to wood's capacity for providing greater precision of brush strokes.
  
  

Painting

• Because wooden panels are sturdier than contemporary materials like vellum or leather and flat compared to other surfaces such as stone, they were a popular choice for painting for centuries. Famous works of art such as the Mona Lisa are painted on wooden panels, which protect the image from flexing and therefore from cracking. Despite being strong and inflexible, wooden panels are also portable; so a painting on a panel can be sold and transported easily.
  
  

Mounting

• Not all paintings were produced directly onto wooden panels. It is possible to mount other materials onto the wood, such as vellum or canvas. This adds the benefit of wood's sturdiness to the texture and absorbency of the other material; allowing for different and more modern art styles to emerge using these alternative materials.
  
  

Altar Pieces

• Wooden panels were a popular choice for icon paintings and other Christian art, particularly altar pieces. Many Italian, Dutch and German artists produced altar pieces on wooden boards during the late pre- and early Renaissance periods. Despite the wood panels' ability to withstand time better than simple vellum or canvas, most of these paintings have now been destroyed.