The Virgin and Child Enthroned, Adored by Saints Possibly 1790

Editor: Here we have Giuseppe Bernardino Bison's drawing "The Virgin and Child Enthroned, Adored by Saints," possibly from 1790. It’s done with ink and watercolor, which gives it a very delicate, almost ethereal quality. I’m curious about how the materials impact our reading of the sacred scene. What do you see in this piece, especially considering the choice of drawing materials? Curator: I see a work deeply embedded in the socio-economic conditions of artistic production. Look at the media – ink and watercolor, common and relatively inexpensive. This suggests a piece potentially intended for study, for quick reproduction, or for a patron of modest means. Was Bison exploring a composition for a larger, more ‘valuable’ painting? The rapid lines speak to the economics of artistic time, hinting at a piece meant to be produced efficiently, maybe even collaboratively within a workshop setting. Editor: That’s interesting! I hadn't thought about it in terms of the value of the materials themselves. So, instead of focusing on its inherent 'sacredness,' you're pointing to its production and potential place in the art market of the time? Curator: Precisely. Consider also the hierarchy of materials in 18th-century art. Fresco and oil paint were seen as superior, linked to power and permanence. By using drawing materials, Bison is, perhaps unconsciously, challenging those boundaries. Where did he source these materials? How were they traded? Thinking about these details connects the image to wider networks of labor and consumption. Editor: So it’s not just about *what* is depicted, but also *how* it was made and its journey as a commodity. Curator: Exactly. How accessible would it have been? Was it produced on commission, or speculatively for the open market? It redirects our attention to the material conditions that underpinned artistic practice and its relationship to contemporary society. It makes you consider who had access and agency within artistic creation. Editor: I definitely learned a lot and will keep thinking about the materials and production! Thank you! Curator: It's a valuable lens. The physical reality of art provides grounded entry into understanding its meanings.