Portrait of a Young Woman (Incipient Maternity) 1891

Pellizza da Volpedo created this intriguing portrait on canvas, using traditional oil paint. Volpedo was fascinated by the way light and colour could be meticulously applied through brushstrokes to create texture and depth. Notice the rough application of paint in the background that gives a sense of depth, as opposed to the smooth and soft application of paint to the woman's face. The very act of painting, with its repetitive gestures, reflects the rhythms of labor, not unlike the domestic work and impending motherhood that might occupy the young woman's life. Her steady gaze and the small, framed slate she holds suggests a quiet contemplation, perhaps even the patient accumulation of knowledge and experience. The painting invites us to consider how the value we assign to art is deeply intertwined with our understanding of labor, skill, and the social context in which art is produced. By looking closely at the materiality and making of this work, we appreciate the labor inherent in the artwork.