Artwork
The Holy Face
The Holy Face is an oil painting by the High Baroque Italian artist Jacopo Amigoni. It dates from 1701 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
This religious image features the face of Christ imprinted on the cloth, accompanied by the presence of a cherub.
The work depicts the Veil of Veronica, identified as the painting's main subject. This religious image features the face of Christ imprinted on the cloth, accompanied by the presence of a cherub. As a piece of religious art, the composition centers on the venerated relic known as the Holy Face.
The inclusion of the cherub serves as a symbolic element within the scene, framing the sacred visage of the veil.
Technique & Style
Created in 1701, The Holy Face by Jacopo Amigoni is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 121 cm in height and 156 cm in width. As a religious painting, the composition centers on the Veil of Veronica, accompanied by depictions of a cherub.
The medium and scale are consistent with the artist's output for the Spanish royal collections during the early eighteenth century.
History & Provenance
The Holy Face was painted by Jacopo Amigoni in 1701 as an oil on canvas work depicting the Veil of Veronica. It entered the Spanish royal collection through successive owners including Philip V, Ferdinand VII, Charles III and Elisabeth Farnese, eventually being housed in the Museo del Prado at Aranjuez and La Granja de San Ildefonso. The painting's dimensions are 121 cm in height and 156 cm in width, and it remains part of the Prado's religious art holdings.
The work is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is recorded under the inventory number corresponding to its accession by the Spanish royal household. It entered royal possession through Ferdinand VII of Spain and remained in the monarchs' holdings, later appearing in exhibitions that showcased the Spanish royal collection and religious art of the 18th century.
Overview
Created in 1701 by the Italian painter Jacopo Amigoni, The Holy Face is an oil on canvas that presents a dramatic religious scene. The composition centers on a draped cloth, identified as the Veil of Veronica, displaying the faint image of a crown‑of‑thorns‑wreathed face, while four cherubic figures interact with the veil in various emotive gestures.
Context
The subject of the Veil of Veronica was a popular devotional motif in Counter‑Reformation art, offering a tangible representation of Christ’s suffering. Amigoni’s inclusion of cherubs aligns with Rococo sensibilities that softened religious narratives through the presence of angelic, child‑like figures.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacopo Amigoni (born Giacomo Amiconi; 1682 – September 1752), was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque or Rococo period, who began his career in Venice, but traveled and was prolific throughout Europe, where his sumptuous portraits were…
