Oil On Panel Representing Christ – Golden Background – French School – 17th

French School of the 17th century, Mandylion or Holy Face Oil on panel with a gold background representing Christ and bearing on the reverse a painted inscription: “CHRISTI SERVATORIS IMAGO-EX.LINTEO.ILLO.DESUMPTA IN QUO VERISSIMA IPSIUSEFFIGIES NON ARTE DEPICTA SED PER – MIRACULUM IMPRESSA.ABAGARO DESSE REGI.TRANMISSA FUIT HODIEQUE.APUD DIVI SILVESTRI SANCTISSIMO VIALES ROMA - ASSERVATUR†CON LICENTIA DE . SVA SANTITA PAPA – PAVLO .V. MAX BRIDGE -/ ANNO. 1609. » The rough translation is: "THE IMAGE OF CHRIST THE SAVIOR FROM A CLOTH. THE TRUEST IMAGE OF HIMSELF WAS NOT PAINTED BY ART, BUT IMPRESSED BY A MIRACLE - IT WAS TRANSMITTED TO KING ABAGARO AND IS STILL TODAY ON THE MOST HOLY ROADS OF ROME - ASSERVATUR† WITH THE LICENSE OF HIS HOLY POPE PAUL .V. PONT MAX -/ YEAR 1609" Gilded background Dimensions: 35.5 cm x 27 cm According to Eastern tradition, Christ would have sent during his lifetime his portrait printed on a cloth in a miraculous way to King Abgar of Edessa in order to heal him. The Holy Face is one of the major relics of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, preserved in a niche of one of the four large pentagonal pillars of the dome. The Holy Face was placed there by Paul V in 1606. Wonderful oil on panel from the 17th century. century, French school.