Christ Bearing the Cross (front) The Annunciation (back)

This double-sided panel depicts scenes from the life of Jesus. On the back, the angel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she is pregnant with Christ. On the front, Jesus stumbles on the way to his Crucifixion. He reaches for the veil offered by Saint Veronica to wipe away his blood and sweat. The panel was part of a larger series by Pieter Aertsen, who worked in Amsterdam and Antwerp. Its stunning frame is not original to the panel and was paired with it only 50 years ago by its former owner, Count Antoine Seilern. He chose this 17th- century frame with its luminous precious stones to complement the painting; the amethyst columns, for example, echo Christ’s purple robe.