Marble sculptures are one of the most impressive forms of art. Imagine starting with a giant block of hard rock and slowly chipping away at it piece by piece in pursuit of a final image that only exists in your head. Not to mention the fact that one little mistake where you accidentally chip off too much can easily ruin an entire work.
There is no arguing with the fact that carving sculptures taking an immense amount of talent.
Really, nothing showcases this better than the work of Italian sculptor Giovanni Strazza. His famous sculpture, “The Veiled Virgin” is one of the most celebrated marble statues ever created, and for good reason. Strazza’s carefully planned out design and attention to detail is nothing short of incredible.
The sculpture features an image of a woman dawning a somber expression and wearing a thin veil covering her face.
It is thought to be a portrayal of the Virgin Mary, an extremely important figure in the Catholic Church.
While no one knows the exact date of when it was first carved, art historians estimate that it was likely completed in the early 1850s.
Strazza was originally from Milan but was working in Rome at the time.
“Received safely from Rome, a beautiful statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in marble, by Strazza. The face is veiled, and the figure and features are all seen. It is a perfect gem of art,” recorded Bishop John Thomas Mullock in an 1856 diary entry.
Indeed, it is a true gem. The coolest part of the statue, by far, is the veil. Despite being carved 100% out of marble, the veil gives the appearance that it is actually translucent, allowing us to see the outline of the woman’s face underneath in perfect clarity.
The amount of skill required to complete something like this is pretty ridiculous, and we have to say, it really is an incredible accomplishment by Strazza.
“The Veiled Virgin” is a perfect example of just how talented some of these famous 19th-century sculptors were.
Although, part of their success was definitely due to the high quality of the materials the artists chose to work with. “The Veiled Virgin” was carved entirely out of Carrara marble — a type of stone that originates in Tuscany. Because of its excellent caliber, softness, and translucent color, it quickly became one of the most coveted materials of Renaissance sculptors.
It was pretty much the perfect medium for carving veils, and after the creation of “The Veiled Virgin”, several other artists used Carrara marble to carve their own veiled women. Two of the most well-known ones are those carved by sculptors Raffaelo Monti and Pietro Rossi.
“Veiled Lady” by Pietro Rossi in 1882:
“From an archaeological point of view, [the Veiled Virgin‘s veil] stems from the tradition of ‘wet drapery’ that already existed in Greco-Hellenistic sculptures. Sculptors have always taken on this challenge,” explains Claire Barbillon, the director of the École du Louvre.
“Veiled Lady” by Raffaelo Monti in c. 1860:
The use of veils in marble sculptures offered a great opportunity for the sculptors to show off their artistry. After all, making a hunk of stone appear as though it is a flowing piece of fabric is not easy to do.
That is why “The Veiled Virgin” deserves so much praise. It truly is a stunning work of art.
See more beautiful veiled sculpture images below.
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