Porträt der Tochter Marion Lenbach 1895

Franz von Lenbach rendered this oil-on-canvas portrait of his daughter Marion with traditional, time-honored materials. The ways in which he applied the viscous oil paint to the woven canvas is especially striking, with its inherent qualities of texture, and weight. You can see how he worked the surface with visible brushstrokes, and the way light catches on the impasto to model Marion's face. The artist's skilled, labor-intensive engagement with these materials imbues the artwork with a social significance reflecting the cultural values of the time. Lenbach's expertise in manipulating the oil paint and brushwork speaks to a tradition of fine art training and studio practice, setting it apart from other forms of creative expression. Ultimately, the importance of materiality and making in understanding this work challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.