Gum exudation of small evergreens native to the Mediterranean countries, soluble in both alcohol and turpentine; used for artists' paint and coating lacquer. Mastic varnish becomes yellow and brittle with age. Mastic was used in 16th and 17th century recipes for oil-resin varnishes; in the 19th century, mastic was a popular clear, glossy spirit varnish for oil paintings and was also used as an additive in oil medium. By the 20th century, its use was superseded by dammar.
