Artwork
Saint Veronica
Saint Veronica is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Bernardo Strozzi. It dates from 1620 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Bernardo Strozzi's painting centers on Saint Veronica, the pious woman traditionally associated with the Veil of Veronica.
Bernardo Strozzi's painting centers on Saint Veronica, the pious woman traditionally associated with the Veil of Veronica. According to the source, the work depicts Saint Veronica and the Veil of Veronica held up by Veronica, with the relic itself identified as the main subject of the composition.
The Veil of Veronica is one of the most venerated relics in Christian tradition, believed to bear the imprint of Christ's face after Veronica wiped his brow on the road to Calvary. By portraying Veronica actively holding up the cloth, Strozzi presents the saint in her defining devotional act, transforming the relic into the focal point of veneration. The large-scale format (168 by 118 cm) suits the solemn, iconic gravity typical of such relic-centered imagery, reinforcing the painting's function as a contemplative religious image rather than a narrative scene.
Technique & Style
Bernardo Strozzi's Saint Veronica, created in 1620, is an oil painting executed on canvas. The work measures 168 cm in height and 118 cm in width. As a religious subject, the composition depicts Saint Veronica holding up the Veil of Veronica.
The use of oil paint on canvas was a standard medium for this genre and period, allowing for the detailed rendering of the sacred image.
History & Provenance
The painting Saint Veronica was created in 1620 by Bernardo Strozzi as an oil on canvas work. It entered the Spanish royal collection through the ownership of Ferdinand VII, Charles III, Elisabeth Farnese, and Philip V, who held it in various royal palaces including Aranjuez and La Granja de San Ildefonso. The composition shows Saint Veronica holding the Veil of Veronica, a subject tied to the Veil of Veronica tradition. The work measures 168 cm in height and 118 cm in width.
Bernardo Strozzi's oil painting Saint Veronica, created in 1620, is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado. The work is currently located at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez and the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso, both associated with the museum's holdings. Historical ownership of the piece traces back to the Spanish crown, having been possessed by Philip V, Elisabeth Farnese, Charles III, and Ferdinand VII.
The provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number for this work, nor do they record any exhibition history.
Overview
Bernardo Strozzi executed the oil painting Saint Veronica in 1620. The work belongs to the early Italian Baroque, presenting a single figure in a dark interior. Strozzi, active in Genoa before moving to Venice, is noted for shaping the Baroque idiom in both locales, and this canvas reflects his mature style.
Context
Saint Veronica was a popular subject in Counter‑Reformation art, symbolizing piety and the tangible presence of Christ. Strozzi’s rendering aligns with contemporary devotional imagery, offering a personal, intimate encounter with the saint rather than a grand narrative scene, a hallmark of early Baroque religious painting.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Bernardo Strozzi, named il Cappuccino and il Prete Genovese (c. 1581 – 2 August 1644), was an Italian Baroque artist who was a painter and engraver. A canvas and fresco artist, his wide subject range included history,…
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