Veiled Christ facts for kids
The Veiled Christ (in Italian: Cristo velato) is a famous statue made from marble. It was created by a talented artist named Giuseppe Sanmartino. You can find this amazing sculpture in the Cappella Sansevero in Naples, a city in Italy.
This sculpture was finished in 1753. Many people think it is one of the greatest artworks in the world. A very famous sculptor named Antonio Canova once said he would happily give up ten years of his own life to create something as beautiful as the Veiled Christ.
History of the Statue
The idea for the Veiled Christ statue was first given to another artist, Antonio Corradini. However, he sadly passed away soon after.
Then, Giuseppe Sanmartino took over the project. He decided to show Jesus Christ lying down on a couch. Jesus is covered by a thin veil, which also looks like it's made of marble. The way the veil drapes over him helps to show the suffering that Christ went through.
At the feet of the statue, Sanmartino also carved small details. These include the tools used during Christ's torture, such as the crown of thorns, pliers, and some shackles.
The Mystery of the Veil
For a long time, there was a popular story about the statue. People believed that the veil covering Christ was not made of marble. They thought it was a real cloth veil that had been turned into marble by a special chemical process. This process was supposedly invented by Raimondo di Sangro, a prince who owned the chapel.
However, experts have studied the statue very carefully. They have found that the entire work, including the veil, is carved completely from one single block of marble. There is also a payment record from December 16, 1752. This record, signed by the prince, states that Giuseppe Sanmartino was paid for "the statue of Our Lord in death covered by a veil also of marble." This proves that the veil was always meant to be part of the marble sculpture.
- Elio Catello, Giuseppe Sanmartino (1720-1793), Napoli, Electa, 2004.
Images for kids
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Veiled Christ
See also
In Spanish: Cristo Velado para niños
