Appearance of Christ to the apostles (Fragment) 1311

Duccio painted this fragment depicting the Appearance of Christ to the Apostles in the early 14th century using tempera on wood. Here, the material substrate—the wood panel—is critical. It would have taken a carpenter considerable skill to prepare a smooth surface for the gesso, or ground layer. Next, the artist carefully applied paint made with pigments laboriously sourced and mixed with egg yolk. The gold leaf halos, each carefully laid down and burnished, declare the sacred nature of the figures. Each step required specialized knowledge and precision. The inherent qualities of the materials like the rich color of the pigments, the smoothness of the wood, and the reflective quality of the gold, all come together to imbue the artwork with a sense of divinity and wonder. Looking closely at the way it was made gives us a unique insight into the cultural and spiritual values of the time. It is important to look beyond the traditional art historical ideas, and challenge the accepted divide between fine art and craft.