Vulcan's Forge c. 1570

Luca Cambiaso made this drawing, Vulcan’s Forge, with pen and brown ink, and we can really see the material impact of those choices. With simple lines, he creates an entire scene, focusing on the muscularity of the figures as they work metal. You can feel the intense labor involved, the strain and sweat that goes into shaping raw materials. Look at the tools – the hammer raised high, the tongs holding the metal steady. These are the implements of skilled labor, tools that extend human capability. Cambiaso's choice of ink on paper is interesting here, because it flattens the hierarchy between the drawing and the scene it depicts; both are about skilled handwork. We often separate 'art' from 'craft,' but here, Cambiaso merges them, asking us to consider the physical and intellectual effort behind all forms of making. The drawing asks us to look closely and think about how things are made and by whom.