In the Sacristy 1877

Eugene de Blaas painted "In the Sacristy" using oil on canvas, and that choice of material is significant. Unlike fresco or tempera, oil allowed him to develop remarkable realism. Look at the way the light catches the garments of the two women: their shawls, the layered skirt of the younger woman, even the priest's black cassock. Notice too the polished wood paneling behind him, all rendered with meticulous care. Oil paint allowed the artist to build layer upon layer of thin glazes, creating a luminous effect as light passes through them. The artist’s labor, the painstaking hours spent in the studio, are all too apparent. In his time, this degree of finish was highly prized. Yet today, we might also think about the labor represented within the scene: the work of faith, of family, of social obligation. De Blaas doesn’t just show us the physical appearance of his subjects, he subtly evokes their emotional and social lives too. So, next time you see an oil painting, remember that its surface is just the beginning of the story.