Artwork
The Sudarium of Saint Veronica
The Sudarium of Saint Veronica is an ink print by the Baroque artist Claude Mellan. It dates from 1649 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The Sudarium of Saint Veronica is a 1649 engraving on laid paper by Claude Mellan, depicting a cloth with the imprint of a face.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a close-up of a cloth, known as a sudarium, with a faint facial impression, referencing the legend of Saint Veronica, who wiped the face of Christ on the path to Calvary.
Technique & Style
Mellan achieved depth and texture through cross-hatching, using closely spaced parallel lines to create a range of tonal values, giving the impression of a ghostly face on a rough, woven surface.
Artist & collection
