Le Martyre de Sainte Apolline 1628

Jacob Jordaens created this oil on canvas painting, titled "Le Martyre de Sainte Apolline." The piece's material qualities begin with the canvas itself, which is a woven textile, stretched and primed to receive paint. Jordaens then applied layers of oil paint, a carefully prepared substance consisting of pigment mixed with linseed or walnut oil. This material allowed him to build up textures, create luminous effects, and blend colors seamlessly. Oil paint dries slowly, allowing for revisions and subtle gradations, as we can see in the figures' flesh tones and the drapery's folds. Painting like this, where the artist builds the image through the application of complex materials, can be seen as related to craft traditions, and like the work of a skilled cabinetmaker, painter or tapestry weaver, Jordaens's skills required a long apprenticeship. The labor and skill involved in producing such a painting elevates it beyond mere illustration, transforming it into an object of great value. It reminds us that art is as much about the touch and handling of materials as it is about the ideas it represents.