St. John and Veronica Diptych (reverse of the right wing) 1483

Hans Memling painted this panel, "St. John and Veronica Diptych," with oil on wood in the late 15th century. The appearance of the surface is really the key here: Memling was a master of illusionism. Look at the textures: the cold, hard stone of the niche, the gleaming gold of the chalice, the smooth blackness of the snake. These are rendered so convincingly, you might reach out to touch them. But of course, this is just paint, carefully applied in thin layers to build up the sense of volume and light. Notice, too, that the chalice and snake are not simply symbols here. They are brought to vivid life through the artist's painstaking process, his skilled manipulation of materials. The artist has imbued the artwork with cultural significance. Ultimately, this painting reminds us that even the most seemingly straightforward image is the result of complex choices. Materials and making are paramount to understand the full meaning.