Vulcan and Fire 

Peter Paul Rubens made this painting of Vulcan and Fire using oil on canvas, sometime before his death in 1640. The medium is traditional, but the subject matter connects to all kinds of making. Rubens depicts Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and metalworking, surrounded by the tools and products of his forge. The painting is dominated by the warm, glowing flesh of Vulcan, and the cool, hard surfaces of the armor he has created. Consider the labor involved in the creation of these objects: the mining of ore, the smelting of metal, the careful hammering and shaping of each piece. Rubens was keenly attuned to the political and social dimensions of labor. Though he himself moved in the highest circles, he understood that all wealth ultimately derives from the work of human hands. By depicting Vulcan in such a heroic, idealized way, Rubens elevates the status of the artisan and acknowledges the importance of skilled labor in society.