Sudarium Displayed by Two Angels
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Leo Wallerstein
Accession Number
1951-170-39
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Albrecht Dürer’s 1513 print *Sudarium Displayed by Two Angels* captures a powerful moment of devotion. The German master, renowned for his Northern Renaissance engravings, depicts two angels gently holding the sudarium—the cloth said to bear Christ’s miraculously imprinted face. Created during the height of Dürer’s printmaking career, this work reflects the era’s deep interest in religious relics and the spread of devotional imagery through reproducible art. Prints like this one allowed Dürer to reach wide audiences beyond church walls. His precise line work and delicate shading demonstrate the technical brilliance of engraving on copper, a medium he elevated to new artistic heights. The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s impression, gifted by Leo Wallerstein, preserves the intimate scale and luminous detail that made Dürer’s prints treasured across Europe. Visitors today can appreciate how Dürer transformed a sacred legend into an image of quiet wonder, blending spiritual meaning with extraordinary craftsmanship.