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. These women 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 an observer can wholly comprehend the struggle the nun faces. The nun is surrounded by her choices as they barricade and box her in to prevent her from running away. Centered between her Christian backdrop and the pull of attraction to the painter, the nun's proximity to them vary as she both leans toward them and away. By muting the colors of the Christian images, and making the foreground containing the painter brighter and more vivid, it hints that the idea of love might be more appealing than her duty as a nun. Such is the attraction of the devil's temptations. The use of boundaries, color and contrast, and symbolism and proximity the indecision a nun faces when faced with the decision to choose between her duty to God and the love of a painter is fully executed.

By incorporating boundaries, one can observer 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 in front of them and point towards the portrait. Personal desires 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 blocking 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 placement of what represents the nun's duty and her love develop lines that enclose her within them.      

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). The painter has been dressed 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. 

The proximity of the subjects within Castagnola's Love and Duty shows the the difference between the nun's Godly duty and temptation of desires.  Keeping the nun in the center, and depicting her Christian duty as a wall mural and pushing it to the back; and putting the forbidden temptation of love in the foremost position shows 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. This idea is enforced by having the Christian icons illustrated on the wall 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 as 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 boundaries, color and contrast, and placement and symbolism the nun's struggle to choose between the two is strongly shown.    

