From the time that the restoration of the arts in Italy commenced, down to the days of Raffael, panels were always used for painting on, except when the works were to be fixed to a particular place. Canvasses united the advantages of cheapness and easy removal. The latter, therefore, gained a preference; and after Raffael's time they no longer painted large pictures on wood in Italy. In the Low Countries the use of panels continued much longer. Even in the time of Rubens there was, at Antwerp, a celebrated manufactory, where the panels were prepared of great dimensions; but after the death of the chief artist of the Flemish school, the artists painted only easel pictures on wood. The Italians preferred poplar wood for this purpose. In Flanders oak was used; as it is very seldom injured by worms.,It is natural to suppose, that panels composed of several pieces glued together, might become disunited, by changes arising from dryness or moisture, to which pictures are always more or less subject. To prevent these accidents, very great care was taken in the earlier times, but latterly these precautions were neglected; bands of linen were glued upon the joining, and even occasionally they covered the entire surface with black tanned leather; the glueing on of linen bands, is attributed by Vasari to Margheritone, who lived in the twelfth century, but it was known before his time, for the practice is described in Theophilus's treatise, De arte Pingendi; it was probably brought into Italy by the Greeks.