The Visitation c. 1497 - 1503

This painting, "The Visitation," was created by an anonymous artist, using techniques traditional to early European painting. It's oil on wood, built up through many layers of translucent glaze. Looking closely, we can appreciate how the artist marshaled their skills to create the effect of volume and depth. The way the fabric of the robes pools on the ground, for instance, or the meticulous rendering of the women's hands. You can almost feel the delicate pressure of their meeting. This would have required a dedicated workshop, and considerable training. It is interesting to note that the use of oil paint, which allowed the artist to create such subtle and sophisticated details, was itself a relatively new technology at the time. The artist's knowledge of materials, combined with refined technique and pictorial intelligence, speaks to the high level of artisanal skill that went into this work. It collapses the distinction between craft and fine art and allows us to appreciate the artist's virtuosity.