ITALIAN SCHOOL (18TH CENTURY)THE VEIL OF SAINT VERONICAOil on canvasA papal affidavit to the reverse33 x 26.5cm (12 x 10¼ in.) incl. frame 61 cm highThe Veil of Veronica, also known as the Vernicle, is a Christian relic consisting of a piece of cloth said to bear an image of the face of Jesus produced by other than human means. It became a central icon in the Western Church, and various existing images have been claimed to be the original relic, including one in St. Peter's Basilica where in the 17th century the veil was found hidden in a relic chamber built by Bernini into one of the piers supporting the dome.The story of the image's origin is related to the sixth Station of the Cross, wherein Saint Veronica, encountering Jesus along the Via Dolorosa to Calvary, wipes the blood and sweat from his face with her veil. According to some versions, St. Veronica later travelled to Rome to present the cloth to the Roman Emperor Tiberius. The veil has been said to quench thirst, cure blindness, and even raise the dead.