Our Lady of Consolation, Mother of Church 

Raúl Berzosa painted this image of Our Lady in 2020 using traditional oil paints on canvas, a technique stretching back centuries. The subject, too, is traditional: the Weeping Madonna is a familiar devotional image in the Catholic world. But consider what paint actually is: pigment, often mined from the earth or synthesized in a lab, mixed with a binding medium, linseed oil in this case. The artist would have handled brushes, cleaned them, prepared the canvas, and carefully built up layers of color to achieve the final result. The artist's hand is evident in the rich textures and the expressiveness of the Madonna's face. But the tools, the materials, and the image itself have a history, rooted in labor, trade, and faith. This painting invites us to reflect on the enduring power of images, and the many hands that contribute to their creation.