Die Gräfinnen Caroline und Zoë Thomatis 

Editor: We're looking at "Die Gräfinnen Caroline und Zoë Thomatis," an oil painting by Johann Baptist von Lampi the Elder. There's an understated elegance, even a simplicity, in the ladies’ clothing, yet you sense the richness in the fabrics, the texture created by the artist is really remarkable. What strikes you about the materials used and how they influence your interpretation? Curator: Well, first off, I’m fascinated by the facture. Look at the brushstrokes. Lampi wasn’t just depicting fabric; he was crafting it with paint. Think about the pigments themselves - where did they come from, and how did their availability shape artistic practice at the time? And look at the composition again: the arrangement of folds of fabric seems to indicate more emphasis and budget was given for clothing relative to time and skill employed for background. Editor: That’s interesting! I hadn't considered how pigment sourcing would impact the art itself. Do you see any link between the choice of oil paint and the societal roles of these women? Curator: Absolutely. Oil paint afforded a level of realism and detail previously unseen, mimicking the material wealth of the sitters. The smoothness achieved reflects the polished surfaces within their homes, suggesting a life free of hard labour, their social standing declared via consumption of the commodity art and skilled craft employed here. Note, the production process here isn't accidental, every layer reflects deliberate choice tied to market demands, even taste-making ones. How is labor revealed to the canvas in comparison with paintings using tempera or fresco? Editor: That makes perfect sense! I’ve learned so much thinking about how the creation of art like this is influenced by economics and the availability of materials. Curator: And, hopefully, considered whose labour went into obtaining them, refining them, producing them for artists to employ in acts of taste and consumer display. Material analysis like this reframes the narrative, doesn't it?