Skip to Content
Closed today, next open Thursday. Closed today, next open Thursday.

  • Mon 11–5
  • Tue–Wed Closed
  • Thu 11–8
  • Fri–Sun 11–5
  • Members: the first hour of every day, 10–11 a.m., is reserved for member–only viewing.

The Sudarium of Saint Veronica

A work made of engraving in black on buff laid paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

Image actions

  • A work made of engraving in black on buff laid paper.

Date:

1649

Artist:

Claude Mellan
French, 1598-1688

About this artwork

This virtuoso print replicates the cloth that Saint Veronica used to wipe Christ’s face on the way to his death. The cloth is called a sudarium, a contact relic containing the print-like impression of the savior’s face. Claude Mellan engraved Christ’s portrait in one seemingly unbroken line; the spiral from the center of his nose swirls outward to delineate the fabric. The artist’s way of approaching the swelling engraved line, produced with increased burin pressure, lends the image an abstract quality.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Claude Mellan

Title

The Sudarium of Saint Veronica

Place

France (Artist's nationality)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1649

Medium

Engraving in black on buff laid paper

Dimensions

Plate: 43.3 × 31.6 cm (17 1/16 × 12 1/2 in.); Sheet: 43.6 × 31.9 cm (17 3/16 × 12 9/16 in.)

Credit Line

The Charles Deering Collection

Reference Number

1927.4349

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/47146/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Share

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.
Learn more

Image actions

Share

Suggested Terms