Maria, sister of Lazarus, meets Jesus who is going to their house 1864

Nikolai Ge painted this image of Maria and Jesus using oil on canvas. The materiality of oil paint – the very slow drying time, its capacity for blending and layering – profoundly influences the character of the work. Up close, you can see how Ge manipulated the viscosity of the paint, varying it to achieve different effects. Thin washes create a sense of depth in the background, while thicker impasto brings the figures into sharp relief. Consider the labor embedded within the painting. The grinding of pigments, the stretching of the canvas, the countless hours spent applying paint to surface. This is a testament to Ge's deep engagement with the craft of painting, and it’s part of what makes the work so compelling. By attending to these aspects of material and process, we can gain a richer understanding of this compelling image, and challenge distinctions between fine art and craft.