Saints Peter and Paul 

Peter Paul Rubens made this drawing of Saints Peter and Paul with pen and brown ink, heightened with white gouache and grey wash on paper. The use of humble materials like paper, pen and ink is intriguing, especially when we think of the historical context of the artwork. Rubens would have been deeply involved in the mercantile economy of Antwerp, an early center of global trade. Unlike the precious metals or rare pigments that might have been lavished on a devotional image, the materials of this drawing are relatively accessible. Yet Rubens brings incredible skill to bear in describing the weight of the saints' robes and the contrast between the figures and the background. The drawing’s power comes not from expensive materials but from the artist's labor. Rubens's ability to create such a dynamic composition with such simple means challenges the traditional hierarchy between the so-called 'high' art of painting and the more workaday realm of drawing and printmaking. It underscores how technique and human input can imbue any medium with profound meaning.