Christ Crucified, between the Virgin and St. John 15th-16th century

Editor: This is an anonymous piece titled *Christ Crucified, between the Virgin and St. John*. I'm really struck by the fragility of the paper and the faded quality of the pigments. It makes me wonder about the physical processes involved in its creation. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I am drawn to the materiality of it. The support, likely parchment, and the pigments would have been costly and highly valued materials. The damage and fading tell a story of use, circulation, and the environmental factors it endured. It's a testament to labor, and perhaps devotion. What type of person made this piece, and for what audience? Editor: That's fascinating! I had focused on the damage as decay, but thinking about it as evidence of labor and the value of the materials really changes my perspective. Curator: Indeed, it becomes a document of cultural production, far beyond just religious iconography.