Madonna with the Christ Child and Saint Bruno 1624

Jusepe de Ribera painted ‘Madonna with the Christ Child and Saint Bruno’ using oil on canvas. Oil painting had become the dominant medium of European art, esteemed for its capacity to create realistic effects. Consider how Ribera, a leading painter of the Spanish Baroque, marshalled these effects. The material qualities of oil paint - its viscosity, its sheen - are used to create a strong sense of drama. Note the chiaroscuro effect: the strong contrast between light and dark. Ribera built up these contrasts through layers of glazing, a technique that requires immense patience and skill. The painting’s raw, almost tactile realism gives it a very powerful presence. Ribera’s mastery of his materials and his mastery of composition make this an image that has endured across the centuries, a reminder that the craft of painting is just as important as its narrative content.