It is impossible not to be enraptured by the Veiled Christ, the sculpture by the Neapolitan artist Giuseppe Sanmartino.
The veil covering the body of Jesus, entirely sculpted in marble, is so light and transparent that it seems to be made of light and air. The beauty behind this detail hides a secret related to its commissioner, Raimondo di Sangro: according to the legend, the scientist and alchemist is said to have taught the artist how to calcify marble crystals in order to make the representation of the veil fabric extremely realistic.
Nevertheless, there are letters written by the artist himself in which he denies the magical procedure: all we can do is thus surrender to his skill, and to the beauty of the statue.
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