The invisible knife
Did you know that Rubens used a knife in this work?
The priming knife was a tool employed by many artists throughout history. It was similar to a palette knife and was used to spread paint or prepare the surface of the canvas before starting to paint. It left a distinctive pattern of geometric shapes. Unlike a conventional knife, its edge was blunt to prevent the artist from damaging or cutting the canvas while working.
Rubens used this tool to apply a layer of white paint beneath the figures' skin to enhance their luminosity and volume.
