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Examine The Shroud of Turin
Shroud of Turin (Ventral Image) Master Photograph
Point and click on any area in the above photo to examine closeups
When you select an area of the Shroud to examine in the above Master Photograph, point and click directly on that specific part of the image. You will be shown two, side by side closeups of the area you have chosen. One as it normally appears to the eye, and the other of the same area as it appears on a photographic negative. Remember, images on a negative are normally flipped left to right. With the exception of the facial image of the Shroud, the negative images included here have not been flipped left to right. This allows for easier visual comparison. The negative images have been enhanced digitally to increase contrast. Below each set of closeups is a small Reference Icon highlighting the area you are currently viewing. Click on the Reference Icon to return to the Master Photograph and choose another area to examine.
The Shroud as it now appears after the June-July 2002 restoration
Post-restoration Ventral and Dorsal Photographs © 2002 Archdiocese of Turin
In June-July 2002, a major restoration of the Shroud of Turin was undertaken by its owners. All thirty of the patches sewn into the cloth in 1534 by the Poor Clare nuns to repair the damage caused by the 1532 fire were removed. This allows the first unrestricted view of the actual holes burned into the cloth by the fire. It appears that some of the most seriously charred areas surrounding the burn holes were also removed during the restoration, most likely to allow the Shroud to be properly resewn to the new backing cloth. The original backing cloth (known as the Holland Cloth) that was added at the same time as the patches, was also removed and replaced with a new, lighter colored cloth, which can now be seen through the burn holes. Although the creases and wrinkles that had been previously evident on the Shroud are not visible in this photograph, I am assured by those who have seen the restored cloth that they are in fact, still there. These are critical because they can help determine how the cloth was folded over the centuries and constitute an important clue for historians. By scrolling this page up and down, you can compare the cloth as it appeared for over 400 years with its new appearance today.
The image on the Shroud of Turin is very subtle. The closer you get, the less distinct it becomes. One of the best ways to look at the Shroud image is on a photographic negative. There, the light and dark values are reversed and the image appears more realistic and natural.
Shroud of Turin (Ventral Image) as it appears on a Photographic Negative
Shroud of Turin (Dorsal Image) Reference Photographs
The above views of the dorsal image on the Shroud are provided for reference only and do not allow you to examine close ups of the image like the Master Photograph at the top of this page does. You will notice that there is a difference in color and sharpness between the Ventral and Dorsal images. That is in part due to improvements in scanning and image processing since this page was first created in January 1996. The Dorsal images are from Photo-CD scans of my original 4" x 5" film and the color is more accurate to the actual color of the Shroud. They also are considerably higher in resolution.
Shroud of Turin Prints and Posters Available
After viewing the images in this area of the website, you might wish to obtain Shroud photographs for your own personal research and study. Currently available are 8.5" x 11" lithographic print sets, miniature Shroud replicas on cotton canvas, lithographic posters and much more. For detailed descriptions and ordering information, visit the Website Store page of this website.
