The bluebottle 1886

Noè Bordignon made 'The Bluebottle' using oil paints on canvas. As you look, consider the materiality of paint: pigment suspended in oil, brushed onto a woven surface. These humble components are essential. Bordignon was part of a movement known as the Venetian school of painting, with a focus on the effects of light, color, and atmosphere, he builds up layers of thin paint, known as glazes, to create a luminous surface. You can see it particularly in the mountain background. This technique wasn't just about aesthetics. It was also a signifier of value and social class. Oil paint had become the medium of choice for fine art. Bordignon is placing labor at the center of his work, with a nod to the rise of industrialization. So, next time you encounter an oil painting, remember that its meaning isn't just in the image, but also in the materials and labor that brought it into being.