The Sudarium

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the National Gallery of Art's Rosen Collection, *The Sudarium* is delicate paste print from c. 1480, created by an anonymous German artist of the 15th century. Measuring just 4.6 × 3.6 cm, this tiny depicts the Sudarium of Veronica—the legendary cloth said to bear the miraculous image of Christ's face, a powerful symbol of faith during the late Middle Ages. Such intimate devotional images were cherished by pilgrims and the faithful, portable reminders of divine presence. What makes this piece extraordinary is its medium: paste print, a rare and experimental technique pioneered in G...

About the Artist

German 15th Century

**German 15th Century** The designation "German 15th Century" encompasses a collective of anonymous artists active in the late medieval and early Renaissance periods in Germany, primarily known through their contributions to early printmaking and panel painting. These creators emerged during a transformative era when woodcuts and engravings began democratizing religious imagery, bridging the Goth...