Zwikvulling met een zittende apostel 17th century

Francesco Maffei made this drawing of an apostle in the 17th century using pen and brown ink with brown wash on paper. Look closely, and you'll see how the material itself, paper, has influenced the artwork's appearance. Its inherent qualities of texture and absorbency have encouraged Maffei to work in a rapid, expressive manner. The ink bleeds slightly into the paper, softening the apostle's features and clothing. This wasn't just casual experimentation; it was a way of giving the drawing a sense of immediacy and emotion. Maffei was interested in the materiality of the image itself, which is tied to wider social issues, politics, and religion. He imbues the drawing with significance using only a few materials and processes, making his image both spiritual and physically engaging. By attending to materials, making, and context, we can fully understand the artwork's meaning and challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.