The wear to the surface on this 19th c. retablo makes it appear almost as if a real crown of thorns had been mounted on top of it, scraping away the paint with its sharp points and making this portrait of Jesus feel all the more dramatic. Though tightly cropped, I believe the subject depicted here is Veronica's Veil, with the drape of the cloth visible across the top of the painting against dark blue background--and I especially like that the thorns of the crown extend beyond the edges of the cloth (which, according to the story, was a relic that preserved the visage of Jesus after St. Veronica wiped his sweat and blood with it.) Quite a sensitive and affecting version I'd say, 19th c., oil on tin.
13 1/16" x 9 9/16".Paint loss and wear as evident, all to the good I believe.
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