Elena de la Cruz Retablo

This 19th century folk retablo painting depicts "Santa Elena de la Cruz." According to popular belief, Santa Elena, consort of Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus and mother of Consantine the Great, took a religious pilgrimage to Jerusalem. While there she took part in an excavation in which three crosses were unearthed. In order to determine which was the "True Cross" she gathered three ill men and placed them each on one of the three crosses. She knew that she had found the' true cross' when one of them was miraculously cured. Santa Elena is almost always depicted as she is here, clutching three nails and embracing the "True cross of Calvary."

Dimensions: 10 inches x 7 inches.

Condition: in overall excellent condition with only minor paint loss and small puncture along top edge.

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