Giovanni di Paolo Rucellai 1540

Francesco Salviati painted this portrait of Giovanni di Paolo Rucellai in oil paint, a material prized for its versatility and luminosity. Oil paint's unique capacity for blending allows Salviati to create subtle transitions of light and shadow, giving the figure a lifelike presence. Look closely, and you'll notice the rich textures of the fabrics, meticulously rendered with fine brushwork and careful layering of pigments. This kind of work demanded a dedicated studio practice, with assistants grinding pigments and preparing canvases. Painting like this was not just a matter of artistic skill, but also a sophisticated manufacturing process. By understanding the labor and materials that went into creating this painting, we can fully appreciate the artistry of Salviati's achievement.