Saint Veronica with the Sudarium c. 1475

This is a woodcut of Saint Veronica with the Sudarium, made by an anonymous artist. The legend of Saint Veronica tells of a woman who offered her veil to Jesus on his way to Calvary, and when he returned it, his image was miraculously imprinted upon it. This image, likely produced in Germany in the late 15th century, visualizes the cultural and religious practices of the time. Woodcuts like this were relatively inexpensive to produce, making religious imagery more accessible to a wider audience. The stark emotionality of Christ’s face—his eyes brimming with tears, framed by the crown of thorns—connects to the growing emphasis on Christ’s suffering in late medieval piety. Figures such as Veronica also emphasized the role of women in the Christian story. Understanding an image like this involves research into the history of printmaking, religious movements, and social class. Approaching art history in this way allows us to grasp the ways that religious beliefs were mediated through institutions and social structures of the time.