Portrait of Anne of Austria c. 1622

Peter Paul Rubens painted this portrait of Anne of Austria using oil paints. The success of the painting relies on a very old method, by which powdered pigments are suspended in oil and applied in thin layers. But the artist's material engagement doesn't end with paint; it extends to the sumptuous fabrics depicted. Look closely and you'll see the painstaking detail in the Queen's large lace collar and cuffs. The labor required to make such lace was immense; it was fashionable precisely because so few could afford it. Likewise, the black velvet of the Queen's gown was costly. These details of attire speak of a society in which personal identity was intrinsically linked to consumption. Rubens has memorialized this connection through the labor-intensive medium of oil paint. By attending closely to both, we can understand this painting not just as a likeness, but as a material artifact of its time.