Christus verschijnt aan de zalige Giovanni da San Facondo c. 1601s - 1611s

Editor: This is Giacomo Cavedone’s "Christus verschijnt aan de zalige Giovanni da San Facondo," made sometime in the early 1600s using ink, watercolor, and charcoal. The rendering feels so preliminary and delicate; I’m curious what you make of the artistic choices and historical context? Curator: The tangible elements truly bring this piece to life. The deliberate use of humble materials like ink and charcoal in a religious scene disrupts the established hierarchy between the precious and the everyday. This artwork pushes against the expected extravagance often commissioned by the church and ruling classes. Editor: It's fascinating to think about the "lowly" charcoal elevated to depicting Christ. Curator: Exactly! Consider the process: charcoal created through burning, ink derived from natural pigments mixed by hand, and then watercolours requiring a skilled hand to blend, layer, and make precise application onto the paper. There is labor evident in the materiality itself; how does this affect your view of the subject matter? Editor: I see how that changes the relationship. The drawing's creation involves accessible resources that many could utilize in their daily lives. In what ways might the act of physically creating with accessible material change a viewer’s approach toward an artwork? Curator: Art becomes less an exclusive commodity. More people can comprehend how it came to exist. The material reality challenges ideas of the artwork as a solely divine manifestation, directing it more towards a tangible manifestation of belief achieved through labour. I now wonder about Cavedone’s own consumption, skill, and social class and the historical narrative this material usage presents. Editor: I hadn't considered how much the artistic choices could imply about Cavedone’s world. I’m glad that I now know how the choice of using common resources over luxury can highlight production and accessibility.