A Saint Holding a Book c. 1640

Gioacchino Assereto made this drawing of a saint holding a book in the 17th century, using chalk and perhaps a light wash. It's fascinating to consider what a drawing like this represents, in terms of skilled labor. The economy of early modern Europe depended on specialized knowledge, and Assereto would have spent years mastering the ability to represent the human form in such a convincing way. You can see this in the shading of the drapery, and the foreshortening of the saint’s limbs. Think of all the hours of practice that went into this image. Even the sourcing and preparation of the materials involved labor. The chalk would have been carefully chosen, and perhaps even ground and mixed by an apprentice. This drawing is therefore not just a representation of a saint, but also an embodiment of skilled work. It challenges us to think about value – both in terms of spiritual worth, and the labor required to create beautiful things.