When wholly devoting one's self to God, such as nuns do, personal desires are forgone and simple, strict lives are lead. Nuns take temporary and perpetual vows of poverty chastity and obedience to strictly follow Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. They have freely chosen to live unmarried lives without the prospects of children and to never question. In Gabriele Castagnola's chromolithograph Love and Duty, the image of a nun is seen as she is confessed to by a painter who presents her with the possibility of a family in his painting. The nun is then conflicted as she makes her decision to choose between her duty to God and the pull of a lover. By using several artistic elements like lines, specific color choice, and proximity of subjects Castagnola illustrates the nun's struggle to the observer. The nun is surrounded by her choices as they barricade her and prevent her from running away. By muting the background of Christian images, and making the foreground containing the painter brighter, he hints that the idea of love might be more appealing than her duty as a nun. Her proximity to her Christian backdrop and the pull of attraction to the painter vary as she is both leans toward them and away. Castagnola uses these elements to show the indecision the nun feels when faced with the decision to choose between her duty to God and the love of a painter. 

Lines are used to create boundaries for the subject, they projects a sense of entrapment. In Love and Duty the nun in the center of the chromolithograph is physically being boxed in by the two opposing emotions of love, and of her sense of duty to God. The entire background of the piece is primarily illustrated with a mural depicting Christian scenes and icons. With such a large space dedicated to Christianity it enhances the idea that her belief system, and vows are the most important aspect of the nun's life. Christianity is both her physical and moral background. The personal desires, she has denounced in her vow are then surrounding her. The painter's painting sits to her left depicting a mother and children, a path she can no longer follow. In the foreground to the nun's right sits a painter offering an opportunity of love. As they stand together their shadows merge and point towards the portrait. Personal desired effectively box the nun in and corners her against the strict lifestyle she has chosen to live. The strong pull to forego her vows is seen by subtly cutting the nun away from her duty. The familial image breaks the continuousness of the mural in the background, and by cutting the crucifix and only depicting half of it, these breaks imply the shrinking importance of her duty.     

The variances in contrast also show a hierarchy between the love and duty. Contrast is an artistic element that can direct the importance of subjects in an artwork. Low contrast does not provide a strong focal point while higher contrast images enhances shadow and light, enriching the depth and making a powerful statement. The Christian mural in the background is lower contrast compared to the foreground of Castagnola's chromolithograph. The colors are neutral and dull, and lack of contrast lead the viewer to overlook what is depicted. By not providing an emphasis to the mural means it is not of a high importance as compare to the painter. The foreground's higher contrast with the nun, painter, and the portrait gives detail and draws in the eye; successfully portraying the strong allure of love. Both nun and painter are the brightest features presented in this piece. The nun's crisp white silken habit, and simple clothes stand in stark contrast to the painter's luxurious attire. In Religious illustrations the image of the devil is typically associated with red, while white is associates with God. "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." (Life Application Study Bible, Matthew 6.13). Castagnola dresses the painter from head to toe in crimson which gives the sinister impression of the devil tempting the pure, white cloaked nun away from her godly duty. 

Depicting the nun's Christian duty as a wall mural and pushing it to the back, while putting the forbidden temptation of love in the foremost position while a nun is centered between the two shows the she is strongly contemplating accepting love over duty. The idea of a heaven and hell is suggested through many religions.  The physical world lies between the two with heaven, the home of God, sitting above and hell and the devil residing below. Castagnola enforces this idea by having the Christian icons illustrated at the above the nun, while the painter, symbolizing the devil sits below her. Both nun and painter linger close to one another, as he physically pulls her into him. This placement gives the observer the feeling that the new offering of love is leading her out of uncertainty. However, the nun tilts her head away from the sitting painter, balancing the distance between the two effectively centering her in indecision. The mural, set as the backdrop represents Christianity being the background of the nun's life. With a stool placed behind her; it hinders a clear path implying the nun is not fully willing to reject her personal desires. The wavering proximities between her and the options of intimacy and her responsibility trap her between them.                

When a woman is called to the religious life she is giving up worldly desires to dedicate herself to the Holy Spirit. A nun is a woman who has taken perpetual solemn vows that are recognize by the Roman Catholic Church. It is not a simple task to leave the order, and if done with permission will take and immense amount of time. If done secretly, they leave the church entirely. When the nun is Castagnola's Love and Duty is enticed by the affections of a painter and he offers her a chance for a family, she must make the decision to follow her desires or to abandon her duty to God and her basis for life. Through Castagnola's usage of lines, color, and, and placement the nun's struggle to choose between the two is strongly shown.    

