The Miniature 1843 - 1925

Attilio Simonetti painted this watercolor in 1872, using the most unassuming of artistic mediums: paper and pigment suspended in water. Look closely at the image, and you’ll see how he built up layer upon layer, almost like glazing in oil paint. With each translucent application, he increased the density of color and sharpened the details, such as the intricate floral patterns, the subtle folds in the woman’s skirt and shawl, and the filigree on the vase stand. The very fact that Simonetti labored over the watercolor in this way – giving it the careful attention we might associate with more canonical media – tells us something about his artistic ambition. He was pushing the boundaries of what watercolor could be, and staking a claim for it within the hierarchy of art. In a way, that is what all acts of making are about: not just producing an image or an object, but also making an argument for its value.