A Procession of the Madonna di San Luca 

This ink drawing captures a religious procession, but consider the cultural labor involved in producing such an image. The artist used a reed pen, and brown ink, common materials at the time for drawings. Look closely, and you can see the variety of strokes achieved through this medium. The artist would have dipped the reed pen repeatedly to create this image, varying the pressure, or using the side of the nib, to create the effects of light, depth and shading. The subject, the Madonna di San Luca, would have required a long period of training for the artist to understand principles of design and proportion, and to draw. This may have been commissioned to record or commemorate an important social event, to make copies for distribution, or to be sold to devotees. Consider the artist's labor, skill, and knowledge to create such an image. Thinking through the materials, processes, and social context can deepen our appreciation of this type of artwork.