Early examples of canvas paintings date back to the late 15th century. Nevertheless there is previous evidence of painted fabrics already existing. Tuchlein refers to canvas paintings used as architectural ornaments. The first tuchlein were Netherlandish, as referred to in Alberto Durero’s journal where the term was used as a synonym of a little piece of fabric. However, this technique started to be used in oversized paintings such as the standards or altarpiece curtains displayed during Lent. Spanish examples are known as sargas and were mainly used as curtains in palaces and churches. Their particular functionality has been the reason for their fragility and extinction. This paper focuses on the historical and technical aspects of tuchlein. Common pathologies and questions regarding conservation treatments are also addressed.