Panem nostrum (Our (daily) Bread) 1571

Curator: So, we’re looking at Maarten van Heemskerck’s “Panem nostrum (Our (daily) Bread)” from 1571, rendered in ink on paper. Editor: The level of detail is pretty astounding for a drawing of this size! It really gives the sense of a bustling church, lots of people and activity. What are your thoughts about this piece? Curator: My initial thought goes directly to the material conditions of its creation. Look at the detail achieved with ink – think of the labour, the cost of high-quality paper and ink in the 16th century. This wasn’t a casual sketch. It was likely preparatory to a larger, more “important” work. What was the purpose? Was it an end in itself or a study for a print, a painting? Editor: That’s interesting. It's like the drawing itself becomes a valuable commodity through the materials. It almost argues against the spiritual message depicted, doesn't it? I suppose materials inherently possess socioeconomic meanings tied to the artistic practices. Curator: Precisely. The means of production—the very labor, the expense of quality pigment—challenge conventional divisions between “high” art and craft. Van Heemskerck may have designed tapestries and stained glass too, we should investigate his studio practice and social environment for comparison. How do you think the choice of making this with ink on paper affects how we read the religious imagery compared to, say, an oil painting? Editor: Well, there's a level of immediacy and intimacy in a drawing that I don't see as much in painting. It’s like getting a direct line to the artist's hand, more approachable somehow. I guess considering the period, the proliferation of religious imagery, it may have made religious instruction more accessible, democratizing art consumption? Curator: Excellent point. The relative affordability of paper compared to canvas could extend access to religious narratives. Editor: Thinking about this artwork now makes me realize how every artistic choice, like choosing ink and paper, subtly layers meaning into a piece. Curator: Exactly! Materiality and making are core to understanding not only what art looks like, but how it functions within a society.