Saint Mark 1570 - 1571

Giorgio Vasari rendered this painting of Saint Mark with oil paint on a wooden panel. The application of the oil paint here has a huge impact on the painting's appearance, allowing Vasari to build up layers of color and create incredibly lifelike textures. Take a moment to appreciate the weight of the red robe that drapes over Saint Mark, rendered through highlights and shadows to suggest substance and depth. Vasari’s process of layering paint allows him to depict the folds and gathers of the fabric with remarkable detail, suggesting a real and tangible object. Look at the tools in Saint Mark's hands - the glasses, the ink pot - which provide a window into the cultural and intellectual world of the time. Paintings like this one remind us that materials and the making process are crucial for understanding the meaning of an artwork. Oil paint allowed artists to achieve new levels of realism and expression, solidifying its status as the medium of choice for centuries.