Diana and her Nymphs 1613 - 1681

Daniel Vertangen painted "Diana and her Nymphs" in the 17th century using oil on canvas, a common medium for the era, yet one laden with specific cultural baggage. Think about the support: a woven textile stretched and primed. Then the paint itself: pigments ground and mixed with oil, each layer demanding time and skill. Vertangen, like his contemporaries, would have relied on workshop assistants for the more menial tasks, embodying the hierarchical labor practices of the time. The smooth finish obscures the hand of the artist, a deliberate choice that elevates the subject matter, seeking to transcend the material reality of its making. But that making is crucial. The luminosity of the figures, the depth of the landscape – these are effects achieved through accumulated layers of skilled labor. Ultimately, the painting is not just an image, but a testament to the social and economic structures that enabled its creation. It invites us to consider the labor and materials that underpin even the most seemingly ethereal of artworks.