Madonna and Child (Study) 

Curator: This is Noe Bordignon's oil painting, titled "Madonna and Child (Study)". It immediately strikes me as a work in progress, incomplete perhaps? Editor: Yes, there’s a sense of raw materiality to it. You can really see the application of the oil paint, the thick strokes and the visible canvas beneath. It reminds us that art isn't just about the final image; it’s also about labor, about the process of making. Curator: And historically, images of the Madonna and Child were central to Renaissance artistic production. Patronage by religious institutions and wealthy families drove the demand for these representations, often influencing how they were depicted and received. Editor: Absolutely. It makes me think about the sourcing of the oil paints themselves—the pigments, the binders—and the trade networks involved. Each color has its own material history tied to labor and economic structures. The deep blue, in particular, draws my eye. Curator: Notice how the composition is quite traditional, but also how the figures appear almost dreamlike. Consider, too, the public function these images served, offering comfort and reinforcing social norms regarding motherhood and family. Editor: It’s more intimate, this sketch. We are looking at a human rendering of a spiritual ideal. Bordignon's mark making choices really draw our attention to the hands as well. I think about the craft involved and I see the hands of the artist reflected in how he chooses to depict them. Curator: Ultimately, reflecting on how its imagery served devotional purposes is key to fully understanding the importance and legacy of artworks like Bordignon's "Madonna and Child." Editor: I agree. This piece highlights that it is both the image itself, and its history of making, that are so fascinating to dissect and investigate.