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. Pont max -/ 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 printed 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" background regilded - 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, french school.