Veiled Christ, Marble sculpture in Cappella Sansevero, Naples, Italy.
The Veiled Christ is a marble sculpture by Giuseppe Sanmartino in Cappella Sansevero, Naples, showing the body of Jesus beneath a translucent shroud. The finely carved fabric reveals facial features and wounds while remaining part of the same stone as the figure underneath.
Sanmartino completed the figure in 1753 following a commission from Prince Raimondo di Sangro for his family chapel. The workshop received precise instructions for a depiction that would combine shroud and body from a single marble block.
The figure beneath the shroud conveys resurrection through the body remaining visible under the fine covering, offering visitors a way to contemplate mortality and renewal. The work shows how Neapolitan workshops combined devotional themes with exceptional craftsmanship during this period.
The sculpture sits in the center of the chapel and can be viewed from different angles, with natural light highlighting details of the shroud. Guided visits offer insights into the technique and explain how to best observe the fine differences in the stone.
The shroud appears so transparent that visitors often believe it was woven from fabric and later petrified, although archive records confirm its creation from a single block. Light play in the room enhances this impression and makes the cloth seem to float in places.
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