Veronica wipes Jesus’ face
- Artist: Bruce Onobrakpeya
- Date: 1969
- Medium: Linocut on paper
- Dimensions: image: 243 x 600 mm
- Museum: Tate Modern
- Collection record: Tate Modern website
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About this artwork
This is “Veronica wipes Jesus’ face” by Nigerian artist Bruce Onobrakpeya. The linocut, 1969, sits on a long, narrow paper, part of a fourteen‑print series that retells the Stations of the Cross in a distinctly African context. Onobrakpeya re‑imagines the apostles in richly patterned Adire cloth, while those who restrain Jesus wear colonial‑era police uniforms, adding a layer of historical commentary. The colors are cool blue and green, punctuated by yellow highlights and occasional orange. Geometry dominates the composition, echoing motifs from traditional Nigerian textiles and architecture, and these shapes spill onto the crosses themselves. The print captures the moment when Veronica wipes Jesus’ sweat‑stained face—a dramatic, tender gesture that stands out against the surrounding drama. Created nine years after Nigeria’s independence, the series reflects Onobrakpeya’s effort to merge Christian narrative with Yoruba visual culture, challenging colonial aesthetics. Though each print can be appreciated alone, the full set gains power when viewed together, showing the entire journey of Jesus through an African lens.
See it in person
Veronica wipes Jesus’ face is in the collection of Tate Modern on Bankside, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
