c.1544-1545 (National Gallery)
It's another Art Nugget! I chose Bassano's 'The Way to Calvary' this week since I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since we saw it in class a few weeks ago. It's a beautiful piece to see in person and I recommend checking out the link and the in-depth description on the National Gallery website.
This artwork shows us a moment in time where Jesus is carrying his cross on route to the crucifixion, followed by the figures who are familiar to us such as the Virgin Mary, John, the other Maries, roman soldiers, and perhaps the Pharisees and Priests. In this moment we find a visually interpretation of a legendary account of Veronica who gave Jesus her veil to wipe his face as he was making his journey to Calvary. In Catholic tradition this is the 6th station which forms part of the stations of the Cross, a series of events which tell the narrative of Jesus' passion narrative. In the Gospel of Nicodemus we find that Veronica is named as the hemorrhaging woman found in Matthew 9:20-22,Mark 5:25-34, ('Saint Veronica with the Sudarium' National Gallery)
and Luke 8:43-48 (you can read the account in the Gospel of Nicodemus here, Chapter 5.26). In her legends, the cloth she used to wipe Jesus' face retained the image of his face, and as such it became the first icon as well as the most treasured relic in Catholic tradition. Her name itself has two origins, with her name stemming from the Latin vera icon (true icon) and later becoming 'Veronica' as the most popular belief. As such, both the cloth with Jesus' face on it is called the 'Veronica' as well as the woman.
The attention in Bassano's artwork is placed on this meeting between Jesus and Veronica (a women he apparently has met before). Here a woman kneels in the dirt next to a criminal who is relentlessly mocked by his accusers, she has uncovered her hair and her skirt is lifted to see her under-skirt. Jesus seems to be looking at both his own image, as well as Veronica herself who can be thought of as an image as well. She reflects Jesus not only in the way she is positioned, but also in the braids she is wearing and the details found in her skirt. She becomes an image of Jesus and we see his suffering through her.
The artwork also leaves us with a reflection: how are we an image of Christ? How do we reflect his nature? Would we also throw ourselves to the ground like Veronica in order to help a suffering person?
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