The Marriage of Bacchus and Ariadne 1505

Cima da Conegliano created this panel painting depicting "The Marriage of Bacchus and Ariadne" around the turn of the 16th century. The figures are rendered in oil paint, a relatively new medium at the time that allowed for unprecedented luminosity and detail. Looking closely, we can see how Conegliano used the oil paint to great effect, particularly in the rendering of the fabrics and the skin tones. But the painting's materiality goes beyond just the oil itself. Consider the panel it's painted on – likely poplar, a common choice in Venice for its stability. The smooth surface of the wood allows for the exquisite detail on display. Of course, there's also the labor involved. From grinding pigments to preparing the panel, the creation of this painting was a demanding, skilled process. This brings up questions about the social context in which it was made. Who was this painting for, and what does its creation tell us about the world in which Conegliano lived and worked? By considering these questions, we gain a deeper appreciation for the painting's full meaning.