The Infants Jesus Christ and Saint John the Baptist Embracing 1520 - 1525

Joos van Cleve painted 'The Infants Jesus Christ and Saint John the Baptist Embracing' using oil paint on wood panel. Van Cleve achieved a luminous effect by applying many thin layers of paint. The technique would have required a studio workshop, with assistants preparing pigments and grounds. The artist himself would likely have focused on the figures' faces, capturing their soft skin. The vivid colors and fine details are only possible through painstaking labor. Interestingly, oil painting was gaining popularity in the 16th century due to its flexibility and the potential for realistic depictions. This shift coincided with the rise of a merchant class that could afford such luxuries, influencing the demand for devotional images. The material richness seen here mirrors the growing material wealth of the period. Ultimately, understanding the materials and making of this painting allows us to see it as more than just a religious image, revealing its connections to the social and economic forces of its time.