Christ and the Good Thief 1566

Titian made this painting, Christ and the Good Thief, with oil on canvas during the 16th century. Here, Titian is working with traditional art materials, but notice the active brushwork and the thickness of the paint itself. These physical qualities add drama to the scene and are very effective in conveying emotion. Look closely at the figures, where the layering of tones is particularly skillful. You can imagine the artist working with brushes of different sizes, building up the image over time. Titian was working at a time when the division of labor in art was very pronounced, but his own hand is very evident in the finished painting. This reflects a new emphasis on the individual artist as a creative genius. Ultimately, this work is an important reminder that even paintings we think of as "high art" are, in fact, made through a series of physical actions and material choices. Appreciating these aspects allows us to understand the full picture.