_Meister Wilhelm of Cologne_ (Early German: living in 1380).
A work of interest as being by the first artist who emerges
in the North as an individual painter--painting before his
time being a mere appendage of other arts and the work solely
of guilds. This "Master William," who is mentioned in an old
chronicle as having "painted a man as though he were alive,"
was a native of Herle, near Cologne, and attained a prominent
position in the latter town.
The subject of this picture is the compassionate woman whose door
Christ passed when bearing his cross to Calvary. Seeing the drops of
agony on his brow she wiped his face with her napkin, and the true
image (_Vera Icon_: hence her name) of Christ remained miraculously
impressed upon it--the Christ-like deed thus imprinting itself and
abiding ever with her. The subject of the picture gives it a further
historical interest as being suggestive of the mystics, the "Friends of
God," as they called themselves, who were preaching in the Rhine Valley
at this time, and under whose influence this early school of painting
arose. "The mystic is one who claims to be able to see God with the
inner vision of the soul. He studies to be quiet that his still soul
may reflect the face of God"--even as did the cloth of St. Veronica
(Beard's _Hibbert Lectures_).