'Oh, What's That in the Hollow...?' 

Edward Robert Hughes painted ‘Oh, What's That in the Hollow...?’ using traditional oil paints on canvas. Hughes, like many painters of his era, would have carefully prepared his canvas with layers of gesso to create a smooth surface. He then carefully built up the image with layers of paint and glazes. The qualities of oil paint, known for their richness and ability to blend seamlessly, allowed the artist to create the soft, dreamlike atmosphere of the painting. The texture is smooth, with carefully rendered detail. The way Hughes has handled the material here, with all its subtle tones and textures, reflects a deep understanding of his craft. Consider the skilled labor required to produce the raw materials of painting, from the grinding of pigments to the weaving of the canvas. Looking at ‘Oh, What's That in the Hollow...?’ we can see how Hughes elevates traditional materials through skill and technique. In doing so, he challenges any easy division between craft and fine art, showing how the careful, considered use of materials can imbue an artwork with profound meaning.