Veronica Showing the Sudarium to Mary and John - Doen Pietersz.

A hand-coloured woodcut by Doen Pietersz. depicting Saint Veronica presenting the sudarium to the Virgin Mary and Saint John.

This hand-coloured woodcut by the Dutch printer and publisher Doen Pietersz. depicts a devotional scene centred on the Veil of Veronica. The composition features Saint Veronica kneeling in the foreground, presenting the sudarium, which bears the miraculous image of Christ, to the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist. The figures are arranged in a compact, narrative grouping typical of early sixteenth-century book illustration, where the focus remains on the emotional weight of the religious subject rather than spatial depth.

The woodcut technique is characterised by bold, expressive lines that define the drapery of the garments and the facial features of the participants. The application of colour, likely added by hand shortly after the printing process, employs a palette of primary tones that differentiate the figures and provide a sense of visual clarity. The inclusion of the monogram at the bottom left identifies the work within the context of Pietersz.'s active period in Amsterdam, where he produced numerous illustrated volumes for a growing market of literate, pious readers.

Such prints were often found in prayer books or small devotional manuals. They functioned as visual aids for meditation, allowing the viewer to engage directly with the narrative of the Passion. The figures are rendered with a degree of stylisation that prioritises the legibility of the theological message. The background, while minimal, suggests an outdoor setting with simplified foliage, ensuring that the viewer's attention remains fixed on the central interaction between the figures and the sacred relic. This print offers a glimpse into the production methods of early Dutch printing houses, where the collaboration between the block cutter and the colourist created accessible art for private devotion.