Sudarium Held by Two Angels 1513

Albrecht Durer made this print, "Sudarium Held by Two Angels," in 1513, using the intaglio process of engraving. The image is realized through the incredibly labor-intensive process of hand-tooling a metal plate. Look closely, and you'll see it is comprised of thousands of tiny marks incised into the copper with a burin. The varying depths and densities of these lines create areas of light and shade. The contrast is especially apparent in the faces of the angels, the fabric of their robes, and the Veronica, the sudarium or cloth bearing the face of Christ, held between them. Durer was a master of this type of linear articulation. His work, and that of other printmakers of the era, was widely disseminated and essential to the distribution of knowledge and images in early modern Europe. This print bears the mark of his hand, not only his skill in manipulating the burin but also his cultural and historical moment. It urges us to expand our appreciation of art history, and what may be perceived as craft.