17th century AD or later. A painted icon on a slightly convex rectangular wooden base with the frontal nimbate head of Christ, bearded with long wavy hair tucked behind the ears; faint Cyrillic text below and W C N to the halo; background of light material tied to the two upper corners and a raised dark border with red outline; horizontal mounted slots to the reverse. 1.3 kg, 36 x 29 cm (14 x 11 1/2"). From a London collection; previously acquired on the UK art market in the 1980s. The Mandylion, or Image of Edessa, was a relic of the miraculous image of Christ's face reputedly found imprinted on the towel with which he used to dry his face. It is often found as the subject of painted icons and is venerated particularly by the Eastern Orthodox Church.