Few sculptures are as delicately carved as the “Veiled Christ” statue
This sculpture was made in 1753 by Neapolitan sculptor Giuseppe Sanmartino and is exhibited in the Sansevero Chapel in Naples. It was originally commissioned to Antonio Corradini, but he died before he could begin the project, so it was passed on to Sanmartino. The veil is so detailed that a legend had it that alchemy had been used to create it.
The legend claims that alchemist Raimondo di Sangro, who had originally commissioned the piece, taught Sanmartino how to turn cloth into marble. Although it is hard to believe that it is made out of hard stone instead of light, wispy gauze, in reality, there was no alchemy involved in the making of this work of art. The credit goes to its master sculptor.