Madonna and Child with Putti (detail) 1522

Editor: Here we have Rosso Fiorentino’s "Madonna and Child with Putti," from 1522, executed in tempera. I’m struck by the, almost, casual nature of the Madonna and the very tangible weight of the child in her arms. What do you see when you look at this work? Curator: For me, this image speaks volumes about the very materiality of faith. Look at the tempera itself. It's not about illusionism here, but about the deliberate construction of an image. The visible brushstrokes, the way light interacts with the pigment—these are the physical means through which this scene is made manifest. How does the tangible texture and the somewhat subdued palette influence your reading of it? Editor: It’s interesting you bring up the material, because you’re right, you can really *see* the paint. I guess I always think about the Renaissance being this incredibly polished time, and this is not that. So, do you think that changes how a contemporary audience may perceive the sacredness that's depicted? Curator: Absolutely. Consider the role of workshops and the guild system in 16th-century Florence. Tempera, while traditional, required specific skill and labor. This painting, therefore, embodies a social and economic context. We must recognize how Fiorentino both relies on and departs from established modes of artistic production. What effect does that combination have on you? Editor: I guess I never really thought about religious works having an economic underpinning to them. But now that I consider the labor involved and how the materials themselves impact the presentation… It opens a new way to discuss it, maybe outside of just the artistic talent. Curator: Precisely! And isn't it through these material realities, these very human processes of creation, that we can gain a deeper, perhaps even more resonant, connection to the sacred? By examining the materials, labor, and social forces, we unravel the multifaceted narratives embedded within this artwork. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about when considering the purpose behind its creation!