Painted at the Slessers’ house in Bourne End this picture was designed to form the left wing of a triptych in their chapel. The right wing was to be ‘Christ Overturning the Money Changers’ Table’, while the central panel was a larger version of the overturning theme. The chapel setting turned Spencer’s thoughts to Renaissance art and the triptych format, though in the event the works were never hung together in this way. The legend of St Veronica is that she held her veil to the face of Jesus, thereby gaining an imprint of his features.