Veronica

Always dreamed of owning a Gerard David painting? The auction house, Galerie Moderne, wisely sells this as "Flemish School, 17th Century", but the frame proudly bears a "Gerard David" nameplate. One of many copies of this type of painting, but it is nicely done, and estimated at only 700 to 1,000 Euro. Whether it is a copy after David is unclear, the known David version of the Veronica veil is different. But 1,000 Euro seems reasonably cheap for an iconic image from the Flemish Primitive school, even if it is a much later copy. Wouldn't surprise me if this goes for a few thousand Euros instead.

Saint Veronica was said to have wiped the face of Jesus on the way to Golgotha. This so-called Veil of Veronica then miraculously displayed the face afterwards. This story doesn't appear in the Bible but only in later works.

A very similar version of this work can be found in the RKD database; this version known to Friedländer and dated to the first half of the 16th century. That one seems to be slightly better painted in the details (eyebrows, hair, ...) and lacks the pedestal beneath the veil. But they both clearly derive directly from the same painting and share many details.

UPDATE 13 January: this one sold for 1,700 Euro, so way above the estimate but still somewhat below mine. Worth every penny!