Easel History of the 1st Century

Mention of an easel was first formally recorded as far back as the first century CE when Pliny the Elder wrote about a large panel being painted on by an artist who had propped it up on what could have only been one of the first easels.

Pliny the Elder1 was the accomplished writer of the book Natural History2. His book is considered to house nearly all of the ancient knowledge that preceded him and is frequently used as an encyclopedia.

1) Pliny The Elder Image - Courtesy Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

2) Naturalis Historius Image - Source: English wikipedia.