Saint Ambrose vesting Saint Augustine c. 1510

Editor: So this piece is titled "Saint Ambrose vesting Saint Augustine," it was created around 1510 by an anonymous artist, and it's oil on, well, something, likely panel given the date. There’s a formality to the scene, everyone seems very posed. What stands out to you about this work? Curator: What interests me is less the subjects and more the object itself. This piece speaks to a burgeoning workshop system. How many hands touched this panel before it made its way to its intended audience? Consider the cost of ultramarine blue paint at the time, and how its careful application signifies the patron’s wealth, or even perhaps, the economic power of the church. Editor: That’s interesting, I was so focused on the religious aspect I hadn’t thought about the physical making of the painting. The colours do seem quite vibrant. So, what does that mean for our understanding of art from this period? Curator: It invites us to see art as a product of collective labor, of economic exchange. The painting's surface is not just a window into a biblical scene, but also a record of material transactions. Think about the preparation of the pigments, the grinding and mixing… these tasks are essential and often overlooked. Who performed them and what does that say about craft hierarchies at this time? Editor: I never really thought of it that way. The painting isn't just a piece of devotion, but also a document of the economy behind its creation. Curator: Exactly! By considering these material aspects, we expand our understanding of the piece and the period’s larger social fabric. Editor: This has made me think a lot about artistic skill being connected to economics. Thanks for helping me see this work in a new way! Curator: My pleasure. It is always productive to delve beneath the surface.