Adoration of the Child with Angel 

Mariotto Albertinelli’s ‘Adoration of the Child with Angel’ was made in the early 16th century using oil paints on wood panel. The smooth, almost porcelain-like finish is achieved through layering thin glazes of paint. This technique, popular during the Renaissance, required meticulous preparation, and many hours of labour to achieve. The vibrant colours, especially the angel’s robes, were made using pigments derived from minerals, plants, and insects, and the cost of these materials would have been considerable. These paintings were often commissioned by wealthy patrons as devotional objects. Albertinelli had workshop assistants, and the amount of work involved in these paintings reflects the wider economic structures of the time, where artistic skill was aligned to class, labor, and consumption. Appreciating the materials and processes used by Albertinelli helps us understand the social and cultural significance of his art. It moves our understanding beyond just aesthetic appreciation, and helps us to understand the economics of art making in the early 1500s.