The San Juan de la Cruz, Esperanza de alto Vuelo exhibition, which is currently on display in Alba de Tormes as part of the centenary commemorations of Saint John of the Cross, features one of the saint’s most significant historical and scientific elements: a reconstruction of Saint John of the Cross’s face.
The study Fisonomía original de San Juan de la Cruz outlines the process that made it possible to approximate the true appearance of the Mystical Doctor. This process began in Segovia in 1992, on the occasion of the fourth centenary of his death, with the canonical recognition of his remains. Under the direction of Dr Massimo Benedettucci, the scientific reconstruction of the face was carried out using the saint’s skull.
The technique involved producing a plaster cast, anatomically reconstructing the muscles and soft tissues, and interpreting those features not directly defined by the bone structure by drawing upon historical descriptions — particularly those of Fr Jerome of St Joseph (Ezquerra de Rozas). The reconstruction was then transformed into a bust using the lost-wax technique at the Fonderia Artistica Cavallari in Rome. Finally, the artist Alejandro López Araguez completed the bust using traditional oil polychromy, giving the final work greater realism and expressive depth.
