ON AN ALABASTER SCULPTURE. 85 



And here it may be remarked, that this lower figure, where 

 it is not a lamb, has been described as (i) the Baptist in 

 prison, and (2) Lazarus coming forth from the tomb. But these 

 are, beyond doubt, erroneous surmises, for in three instances 

 the signs of the pierced palms are quite evident, especially is 

 this the case with the left hand of No. I. It may, therefore, 

 be taken as proved that the lower figure is Christ coming forth 

 to resurrection, and where there is a lamb in this position, that 

 it refers to the Lamb of God once slain for us. 



The two other suggestions enumerated above are that the central 

 head is the Vernicle, or another legend of a miraculous appearance 

 of our Lord's portrait. Though it does not seem to us that either 

 of these surmises is the right One, still we are here closely 

 approximating to the true solution. We have placed the coloured 

 plate of No. II., the frontispiece to this volume, before fourteen 

 educated Christians, at different times, and in each case, on the 

 question being put as to the central head, the answer was 

 unhesitatingly given that it represented our Lord's face. Though 

 the arrangement of the hair and beard differs somewhat in the 

 different examples, there is the same quiet pathetic dignity in each 

 of these full faces that seems irresistibly to suggest to the pious 

 observer the humanity of the Second Person of the Trinity. 

 Moreover, the general appearance, as well as the details, of the 

 countenance are entirely in accord with the legendary views of the 

 Santo Volto, and altogether foreign to anything traditionary as to 

 Our Lord's great forerunner. 



With regard to the beautiful and touching legend of St. Veronica, 

 the circular dish on which the head rests in each example seems at 

 once to exclude this reading. It is true that our Lord's head, 

 surrounded with rays, without the handkerchief, is spoken of as a 

 Vernicle in medieval art, but there is no known instance of an 

 unradiated circle or dish taking the place of the handkerchief of the 

 story. Moreover, if it is the Vernicle, the hagiotypic arrangement, 

 though more possible than in the suggestion of the Baptist, seems 

 unreasonable, and, at all events, admits of no lucid explanation. 



The less known Syrian legend of Abgarus, applied to these 



