Lamentation 1450

Jacopo Bellini’s Lamentation, made around 1450, is an ink drawing on parchment, materials which were relatively common for the era. The parchment is a treated animal skin, prized for its smooth, light surface ideal for writing and drawing. Bellini's choice of parchment speaks to the value placed on the permanent preservation of knowledge and devotion, as well as the economic status of its patron. The work is made with fluid lines, hatching and cross-hatching, creating depth and shadow that evoke an emotional response and underscore the solemnity of the subject matter. The controlled medium is a testament to the artist's skill and the many hours dedicated to the work, even when it looks so simple. In its time, drawing was often considered a craft rather than a fine art, a preparatory step to painting or other media. By emphasizing the qualities of the lines, Bellini elevates the status of the work, as something to be appreciated for the artist’s skill. It makes us consider what it means to see the hand of the artist so clearly present.