Claude Mellan was a French engraver and draftsman who studied and worked in Rome before returning to France. He became known for extraordinary control of the engraved line, using variations in its width and spacing to model form. His prints circulated devotional subjects as well as portraits and other imagery.
Bible Artist
Claude Mellan
Mellan produced one of the most technically remarkable images of the face of Christ in European printmaking.
Dates: 1598–1688
Nationality: French
Born: Abbeville, France
Died: Paris, France
Biography
Artistic Style
Baroque engraving; burin technique; linear modeling
Biblical Art Significance
His Face of Christ of 1649 is famously constructed from a continuous spiraling line that begins at the nose. It turns the traditional Holy Face into a striking demonstration of the expressive possibilities of printmaking.
Notable Works
- The Face of Christ (Sudarium of Saint Veronica), 1649
More Information
Research Sources
<p>Museum and institutional artist catalogues; consult linked reference for verification.</p>