Salvarael Lalique

Salvarael Lalique

Master Needle Painter · Grand Master of Spiritual Embroidery
Born 1936 — Amsterdam, The Netherlands

• Birth: 1936, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Nationality: Dutch
• Artistic Discipline: Needle painting, spiritual embroidery, sacred textile arts
• Titles: Grand Master of Embroidery; Master Needle Painter

Personal Background

Born into a family devoted to needlework and textile craft, Salvarael Lalique grew up surrounded by embroidery. Watching his relatives at work, he absorbed the rhythms of the craft from childhood. A significant early influence came through his uncle, who imported fine textiles from China. Through this he encountered the breathtaking mastery of Chinese embroidery — a revelation that awakened his artistic calling.

Early Spiritual Formation

From a young age, Salvarael was drawn to spirituality and the teachings of Christ. He attended Bible school as a child, cultivating a deep inner devotion that would later shape both his life and his art.
He recalls his youth with these words:
“I gave my heart to the Lord Jesus when I was eighteen years old. He has always been my guide.”

Artistic Education

• Art School, Amsterdam — Formal studies in painting, color theory, visual composition, and traditional European art techniques.
• Studied historical textile traditions, especially Chinese and East Asian embroidery.
• Developed his signature method of achieving painterly gradients with thread — a technique that defines his work as Master Needle Painting.

Transformation & Healing

In his thirties, Salvarael was diagnosed with a highly aggressive cancer. Rejecting a proposed liver transplant, he chose instead to retreat in solitude to a small forest cottage. There, he prayed the “Our Father” daily under the trees for six months.
During this period of surrender and devotion, he experienced a profound spiritual opening — a moment he describes as a miracle. Against all medical expectations, he recovered fully.
From that point on, Salvarael devoted his life entirely to creating sacred embroidery rooted in prayer and inner light.

A Life Shared with Eunice

Central to Salvarael’s artistic journey was his late wife, Eunice, with whom he shared a long and beautiful marriage.
He speaks of her with deep gratitude, acknowledging that her unwavering support, love, and encouragement gave him the freedom and peace to dedicate himself completely to his art. Her presence strengthened his work, his spirit, and his vocation.
Her memory lives on in every piece he created during their life together.

Artistic Career

For more than five decades, Salvarael has committed himself wholly to spiritual embroidery. Many of his works require years to complete, combining technical mastery with contemplative practice.
Themes & Devotional Focus

• Sacred Christian iconography
• The inner life of prayer and healing
• Light, grace, and divine presence
• Mystical symbolism
• The transformative power of devotion
  Signature Style
  Through thousands of precisely layered stitches, he achieves:
• lifelike shading
• luminous color transitions
• expressive faces
• ethereal atmosphere

His technique transforms embroidery into a painterly, spiritual medium of profound depth.

Selected Masterworks

•  “The Lord Jesus” — a monumental embroidered icon, considered a pinnacle of contemporary spiritual textile art.
• “The Virgin Mary” — a radiant and deeply sacred embroidered portrait, revered for its serenity and purity.
• Alongside these, a rich collection of devotional works created in lifelong prayer and dedication.

Recognition

• Widely regarded as the Grand Master of Embroidery.
• Admired for elevating embroidery to a form of contemplative fine art.
• His works are held in private collections and spiritual communities worldwide.

Current Focus

In the later chapter of his life, Salvarael’s vision is to establish a permanent home for his masterpieces — a sanctuary where they may be preserved, displayed, and encountered with reverence.
Therefore he donated his life´s work to the foundation of the Museum of Embroidered Spiritual Art, a project now being brought to life by his chosen successor Horacio Cifuentes.