Diane découvrant la grossesse de Callisto 1639

Editor: So, here we have Eustache Le Sueur's "Diane découvrant la grossesse de Callisto," created around 1639 using oil paints. There's a clear focus on the figures and their relationships, but I'm really curious how the materiality of the painting contributes to its story and meaning. How would you interpret this work, especially concerning the materials and its creation? Curator: I am very intrigued by how Le Sueur uses oil paint in this scene. The smooth application, and the blending of pigments, served the purposes of conveying classical ideals. He makes use of precious, and likely imported pigments to highlight a scene of mythic importance, of power and vulnerability. Notice the clear distinctions between the draped and undraped figures. How might the fabric in this painting highlight power relations at the time? Editor: The textures are definitely working to elevate some figures over others. Is it fair to say that Le Sueur’s choice of the smooth oil paint, even in its lack of visible texture, served to elevate it beyond craft? Curator: Yes, certainly! Although I encourage you to interrogate those very hierarchies. Who benefits from those elevation? Think about the resources required for oil painting - the pigments, the studio, the training. Baroque painting depended upon those systems. Consider, then, the relationship between the painter, the patron, and the broader socioeconomic context, and what impact their influence might have on the figures displayed here. Editor: That’s fascinating. It brings a whole new level to the way I see the contrast between Callisto and Diane, by pointing out the labour and capital needed for Baroque-era art production. Curator: Exactly! And how that shapes what's being represented and the meaning it conveys. Considering the relationship between making and the marketplace might illuminate a whole new perspective.