Justitia; Allegorische voorstelling van de verzorging van leprozen en onnozelen 1665 - 1685

Gerard de Lairesse painted “Justitia” using oil on canvas, a favored medium of the Dutch Golden Age. Beyond its immediate representation, the painting evokes a sense of the social order, as envisioned at the time. The very technique used—layered oil paint, finely applied—speaks to a society structured by skilled labor and patronage. Lairesse would have depended on apprentices to prepare his materials, each layer of the painting involving incremental contributions from many hands, before the master’s finishing touch. The painting’s smoothness belies the amount of work involved in its production. Pigments would need to be carefully ground and mixed with oils, each color possessing its own material properties, which Lairesse would have understood intimately. Then, these colors were expertly applied using brushes made of hog’s bristles. Understanding the methods and materials employed in the creation of this artwork not only enriches our appreciation but reminds us of the value we should place on skilled labor.