Affiche Claude Mellan’s Face of Christ 1649 engraving

Claude Mellan’s Face of Christ 1649 engraving ... I corrected the tilted image making the face much less tilted. This required cropping the outermost edges. But I wanted Christ's face less tilted. So I sacrificed outermost edges detail. This engraving work is totally stunning in its detail. Who could do anything like this? This is dated 1649 and therefore is considered public domain. It is an artistic achievement on its own with such skill. Claude Mellan’s Face of Christ (also called The Sudarium of Saint Veronica) is a stunning 1649 engraving made entirely from one continuous spiral line. Mellan, a French Baroque artist, used just changes in line thickness and pressure to create shading, depth, and facial detail — all starting from the tip of Christ’s nose. This remarkable feat of precision and technique remains one of the most iconic examples of line engraving in art history. The Veil of Veronica story, found in Christian tradition (not the Bible), tells of St. Veronica, a woman who met Jesus on the Way to Calvary and wiped His bloody, sweaty face with her veil, miraculously leaving His image imprinted on the cloth (a vera icona or "true image"). This legend, popular since the Middle Ages (13th-14th centuries) with detailed accounts from sources like the Acts of Pilate and Meditations on the Life of Christ, became a major Catholic icon, depicted in art as a suffering face of Jesus, often with thorns, and celebrated in the Sixth Station of the Cross. Various cloths are claimed as relics, with the most famous Vatican example having a complex history of veneration and study. The Story & Legend The Act: While Jesus carried the cross, Veronica offered her veil to wipe His face, and His image was miraculously transferred. The Name: "Veronica" likely comes from "Vera Icon" (True Image) or "Pherenike" (bearer of blessing). Origin of Legend: The story gained traction in the 13th century through French texts like Roger d'Argenteuil's Bible and Pseudo-Bonaventura's Meditations. Miraculous Powers: The veil was believed to have healing powers, curing blindness and raising the dead. Biblical Basis: The story is apocryphal, but the Acts of Pilate mentions a woman healed by touching Christ's robe, linking to the legend. Key Images/Artworks El Greco's Holy Face of Jesus (1586–1595): A notable painting of the subject, housed in the Museo del Prado. The Vatican's Veil: A revered relic, though its display has been restricted, studied for its unique image features, say EWTN.