Predella Panel. The Approval of the New Carmelite Habit by Pope Honorius IV 1329

Pietro Lorenzetti made this panel, likely around the 1320s, with tempera and gold leaf on wood. The first thing you might notice is the gold. Gilding like this was common in the period. It signified value, importance – literally reflecting divine light. But it also involved intense labor. Goldbeaters would have hammered the metal into impossibly thin sheets. The painting itself is egg tempera. Pigments are mixed with egg yolk. It dries fast, so the artist had to work quickly, in short, careful strokes. Look closely, and you can see the textures built up layer by layer. The final effect is jewel-like, luminous. What I find fascinating is how these material choices elevate the subject. Lorenzetti isn't just showing us a historical event. He’s using craft to create a sense of awe, reinforcing the authority of the church. It's a potent reminder that art-making is never neutral. It's always embedded in social and cultural meaning.