The Love Letter 

Hans Zatzka created this painting, "The Love Letter," using oil on canvas. Zatzka applied his paints in thin, translucent layers, a technique called glazing, to build up the figures' forms with careful attention to light and shadow. His technique is rooted in the academic tradition of the late 19th century, and particularly reflects the popularity of genre painting. Genre paintings were immensely popular, and catered to middle-class audiences seeking aesthetically pleasing artworks. These paintings were created for commercial means to be sold and enjoyed by the public, rather than fulfilling personal expression. Zatzka’s painting reflects a tension between technical mastery and commercial appeal. In the end, whether we consider Zatzka’s painting as high art or not, we cannot deny the mastery of his materials. He clearly had an intimate understanding of how oil paints work, of layering and blending, and the precise rendition of color. That's what made these commercial artworks so appealing.