The Sudarium of Saint Veronica, 1649
Claude Mellanexpand_more
Engravingexpand_more
The William M. Ladd Collection Gift of Herschel V. Jones, 1916expand_more P.1,535
Not on Viewexpand_more
Claude Mellan's tour de force is one of the great achievements of printmaking. The entire print consists of a single engraved line. To begin, Mellan placed the point of his burin at the center of Christ's nose and spiraled outward, swelling and tapering the line as needed to create this celebrated curiosity. His seemingly miraculous feat mirrors the very image it represents-the imprint of Christ's face on Saint Veronica's cloth, or sudarium. The inscription, which reads, "It is formed by one and no other," alludes both to the power of the divine and to the virtuosity of Mellan's masterful hand.
Details
- Title
- The Sudarium of Saint Veronica
- Artist Life
- 1598 - 1688
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.1,535
- Provenance
- William M. Ladd
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Montaiglon 25
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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