The Miracle of a Child 1486

Domenico Ghirlandaio created “The Miracle of a Child” using the fresco technique, which involves painting pigments on freshly laid lime plaster. The artist mixes ground pigments with water, then applies the mixture to the wet plaster. As the plaster dries, it absorbs the paint, binding the colors into the wall itself. This labor-intensive process demands speed and precision, as the artist must complete a section before the plaster dries. The choice of fresco is significant. It inherently ties the artwork to its architectural setting, integrating the image into the very fabric of the building. In this case, the smooth plaster surface is almost like a window into another world. The fresco, in its own materiality, provides a ground to represent and to understand the divine. Considering materials, making, and context allows us to appreciate the fresco as more than just a pretty picture. It highlights the amount of work that went into its production, and how the artist used the medium to bring meaning to the artwork.