Lamentation of Christ 1498

Albrecht Durer, working in Germany in the early 16th century, made this large-scale panel painting with oil paint, a relatively new medium at the time. Oil allowed Durer to achieve incredible detail, like the textures of skin, fabric, and foliage. But oil paint was more than just a vehicle for representation. It signified a new kind of artistic labor, one where the artist could slowly build up layers, adjusting and refining the composition over time. You can see that painstaking, thoughtful quality in the Lamentation. The density of the pigments, the way they catch the light, all speak to Durer's mastery of his chosen material. This wasn’t just about depicting a religious scene; it was about showcasing the artist's skill and the value of his time and effort. In the painting, we see echoes of the economic shifts of the Renaissance. Oil paint, with its demands on time and expertise, became a marker of artistic status. So when you look at the surface of this work, you're seeing not just a biblical scene, but a reflection of labor and the changing status of the artist.