Ьaddalena in meditazione 

This is Maddalena in Meditazione, painted by Palma il Giovane around the late 16th or early 17th century, using oil on canvas. Oil paint is an interesting medium. In this period, it was becoming the preferred medium for artists, valued for its richness, the way colors can be blended, and its capacity for capturing light and shadow. But oil paint doesn’t just appear on an artist’s palette. It needs to be manufactured, often involving the labor of many people, from those who grind the pigments to those who prepare the canvas. Here, the artist has used the material to create an intimate portrayal. You can see the way the textures and colors are carefully layered to create the effect of light on skin. There is a skilled hand at work here. However, beyond the skilled hand of the artist, there are many other hands that enable its production. When we consider the making of art, we inevitably confront issues of labor and value, moving beyond conventional notions of fine art.