San Agostino 1628

Palma il Giovane painted San Agostino around the turn of the 17th century, most likely with oil on canvas, a common combination at the time for larger-scale paintings. What’s wonderful about oil paint is its capacity for layering. Notice the build-up of texture defining Agostino’s ornate robes, in contrast to the thinly applied pigment which creates the cloudy background. The artist has used the material qualities of the medium – its viscosity, its capacity for blending – to full effect. The layering of the paint might be thought of as analogous to the social hierarchies of the time, with the church as a kind of intermediary between the earthly and the divine. But to make an image like this required earthly resources: pigment, linen, and not least the labor of those who prepared these materials for Palma il Giovane to use in his studio. Thinking about these factors brings us closer to a full understanding of the artwork.