Goldsmith seen from three sides 1530

Lorenzo Lotto painted this oil on canvas portrait of a goldsmith in the 16th century. Lotto deployed the traditional medium of fine art, oil paint, to immortalize a craftsman. Look closely, and you can see the build-up of paint in the goldsmith’s hair and beard, achieved through careful layering. The artist’s hand is evident in the way he has captured the texture of the man’s dark jacket and the light reflecting off his face. The goldsmith is seen holding a small box of rings, which are the tools of his trade. The work of a goldsmith requires precise, skilled handwork. Although it is a portrait, Lotto suggests the dignity of labor by emphasizing the materiality of the goldsmith’s profession, reminding us that craft and design are always socially and culturally situated. So, next time you see a painting, don't just think about the artist, think about the hands that made the objects within the painting.