Didone 

Dosso Dossi painted this depiction of Didone, a mythological figure, using oil paints and canvas sometime in the early 16th century. Oil paint is particularly well-suited to creating a layered effect. Notice how Dossi uses thin glazes of color to create a sense of depth and luminosity, especially in the fabrics. The painting process allows Dossi to create a range of textures, from the smoothness of Didone's skin to the rougher surfaces of her head covering and helmet. The fabric is given a further sense of materiality through the addition of woven gold trim. The use of these materials, and the time-consuming processes necessary to apply them, is crucial to understanding how the upper classes presented themselves in the Renaissance. The skilled labor embedded in the production of paintings like this reflected the patron's wealth and status. The decision to depict Didone, a character known for her strength and independence, reflects a humanist interest in classical literature and the exploration of individual identity, ideas also prevalent during the Renaissance.