Apollon Och Dafne 

Placido Costanzi completed this oil on canvas painting, Apollon Och Dafne, in the 18th century. Costanzi skillfully applies layers of pigment to create the dramatic scene of Apollo and Daphne. Notice the texture he achieves, using thick brushstrokes to build up the forms of the bodies and drapery, and thinner washes for the background landscape. Oil paint, traditionally mixed by apprentices, allowed for blending, creating lifelike flesh tones. Costanzi demonstrates mastery of the medium, rendering light and shadow to define the muscles and create depth within the scene. This was achieved using techniques passed down through generations of workshops. The value placed on the materials and the labor involved in creating this painting elevates it beyond mere decoration, to a powerful commentary on the human condition. And yet Costanzi never questions these art-historical conventions. By attending to the materials and methods employed, we can understand the broader cultural and economic context in which Costanzi was working.