Junge Frau Mit Blondem Haar 1878

Hans Canon's "Junge Frau Mit Blondem Haar" is an oil painting, a medium that has been around for centuries. The use of oil paint allowed Canon to achieve a high level of detail, evident in the woman's features and the texture of her hair. The medium also allowed for subtle blending and shading. It is important to remember that the pigments of oil paint were once sourced from the earth, or derived from rare materials, each ground by hand by workshop artisans. The canvases that are painted on also take time to prime, to stretch. Canon employed techniques like glazing, applying thin, transparent layers of paint to create depth and luminosity. This painting is more than a portrait, it is a testament to the labor, the material, the capitalist means of production, and the skilled traditions that it represents.