Portrait of a Man (probably Cesare Borgia) 1520

Dosso Dossi, around the early 16th century, painted this portrait with oil on canvas, a well established medium for the Italian Renaissance. However, it's worth considering the social context embedded in these materials. Oil paint, derived from pigments and linseed oil, required skilled artisans to produce, and the canvas itself, woven from flax, speaks to agriculture and textile production. Dossi’s brushwork and mastery of light is remarkable, especially when you consider the textures of the fur trim and the sheen of the man’s hat. The details in the tactile surfaces evoke the wealth and status of the sitter, which contrasts with the labour involved in securing and processing the materials. In its time, this painting would have been considered high art, yet understanding the materials and the making processes behind it allows us to reflect on the labor, trade, and consumption that underpinned Renaissance society.