Paris holding an apple 

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo created this scene of Paris holding an apple, using oil paint. It's a traditional material, but in Tiepolo’s hands, it becomes something quite radical. Look closely and you'll notice that the paint is applied with speed and fluidity. The artist has captured the way light and shadow play across the figure's body and the surrounding landscape. Tiepolo’s skilled brushwork brings a sense of spontaneity to the composition, almost as if the scene was captured in a fleeting moment. But let's consider the social context here. In the 18th century, academies prized highly finished, polished paintings. Tiepolo, however, embraces a more improvisational approach, more interested in the effects of light and atmosphere than photographic realism. In doing so, he elevates the status of the sketch. The looser, more immediate qualities of this painting are what give it its distinctive character. It's a reminder that the value of a work of art lies not only in its subject matter, but in the way it is made.