“Veiled Lady,” by Rafaelo Monti, c 1860.
“We can’t see through stone, but through tricks of light and polish, Raffaelo Monti created the illusion that we can,” reads the description from the Minneapolis Museum of Art.
This style of sculpture was widely popular in Italy at the time — it was a way for expert sculptors to show mastery of their craft.
The technique involves polishing smooth the marbel that’s behind the veil, to reflect light, but not where the veil falls across the face — the “veil” therefore reflects less light, suggesting the texture of fabric.
Shortly after finishing this masterpiece, Monti participated in the Italian uprising against the Austrian Empire. When the attempt failed, he fled to Britain, never to return home.
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