Virgin and Child in an Apse 1475 - 1485

Robert Campin painted this 'Virgin and Child in an Apse' in the 15th century, using oil on panel. This wasn’t just any panel, but one carefully prepared with layers of gesso, sanded to a smooth, ivory-like surface. The oil paint was then applied in thin, translucent glazes. Look closely, and you can see how Campin built up the colors, layer by layer, giving the figures their luminous quality. The process was painstaking. Each layer had to dry before the next was applied. The labor intensiveness of this technique was typical of the period, and it was valued as a demonstration of skill, patience, and devotion - all qualities associated with the religious subject matter. What I find remarkable about this work is the way Campin elevates the everyday. Oil paint itself was a relatively new technology, and here it is used not only to depict the holy figures, but also to celebrate the material world around them. It’s a testament to how artistic practices can transform humble materials into objects of beauty and reverence, blurring the lines between craft and fine art.