Spanish school; 17th century.

Spanish school; XVII century.
"Santa faz".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
It has a frame of the nineteenth century.
Measurements: 38 x 30 cm; 50 x 40 cm (frame).
In this devotional image painted in oil on canvas is represented the image of the face of Christ, which seems to be printed on the canvas of the Veronica. Jesus does not wear the crown of thorns, nor does he show the blood stains that show suffering or exhaustion. The author represents Jesus in a serene way, looking directly at the spectator with a serious and emphatic gesture, but at the same time serene and calm, the image reflects Christ as savior and redeemer. With a legend in the lower area where you can read "Vera Imago Salbatores D.N. Iesu XP an regem abagarusc Missa".
The iconography of the Santa Faz has its origin in the episode that occurred during the Passion of Christ, when on the way to Calvary a woman took off her veil to wipe with it the face of the Messiah. The image of the face of Jesus Christ was imprinted on the linen handkerchief, and it was miraculously preserved through the centuries, becoming an object of worship. The woman would later be called Veronica, whose etymology derives from the Latin "verum" (true) and the Greek "eikon" (image). The Holy Face is one of the most famous relics of Christianity, first described in 1137.