Sudarium displayed by two Angels
Original title: Sudarium displayed by two Angels
kurzbeschreibung
Two angels bear the veil of Veronica, on which the face of Christ appears. Albrecht Dürer made this engraving in 1513, working with fine line and monochrome grey tones.
Description
Draped in swirling robes, two winged angels present a folded cloth, with the face of Christ visible at its centre. A halo surrounds the frontally gazing countenance. The plain, dark background makes the figures and the sudarium stand out. Delicate lines and hatching model the fabric of the garments and the contours of the face.
Context
Dürer produced this print in 1513 in Nuremberg, while he was deeply engaged with religious subjects and printmaking. The sudarium, also known as the veil of Veronica, was one of the widespread devotional images of the late Middle Ages. With this engraving Dürer achieved a precise and detailed rendering that circulated from his print workshop.
Impact
The symmetrical arrangement and delicate linework create a mood of devotion. Through fine hatching and the dark background, the face of Christ feels immediate and compelling.
Technique
This engraving was worked into a copper plate with a burin, and Dürer used fine parallel hatching and cross-hatching to model shadow and texture. The sheet is monochrome, printed in black ink on paper, which accounts for its purely tonal effect.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)