German term that literally means "small piece of material." Indicates a genre of painting and of common practice between the 15th and 16th Centuries in Flanders and in German-speaking countries. For the most part, it is characterized by decorative features that imitate textile surfaces as tapestries and embroidery. Technically, the tuchlein are executed in thin tempera on linen canvas without a preparation, in part to take advantage of the natural colour of the canvas as the background. Given that these are extremely perishable works, the material testimonies of the tradition are extremely rare.