The Forge of Vulcan 1573

This bronze plaquette, likely made in Northern Italy in the 16th century, depicts Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and metalworking, toiling away at his forge. The image invites us to consider the social position of skilled artisans. The classical subject matter would appeal to the educated elite, but the image also celebrates the dignity of labor. While the gods were figures of fantasy, the scene of the forge was an everyday reality for many at the time. The artist, known only as Master AZ, reminds us that even the gods must work. To understand this work better, we might research the status of craft guilds in Renaissance Italy. How did these organizations balance their own interests with those of the wider community? Were they sites of social mobility, or did they reinforce existing hierarchies? The work of art historians depends on these kinds of questions and our commitment to understanding art as something rooted in its time.