Baptism of Christ
by Andrea del Verrocchio, 1475
GenreReligious
Artwork Details
Details
- Year
- 1475
- Medium
- Oil and tempera on panel
- Size
- 177 cm × 151 cm (69.7 × 59.4 in)
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Andrea del Verrocchio painted the Baptism of Christ around 1472-1475 for the monastery of San Salvi. John the Baptist pours water over Christ's head while two angels kneel at left. The young Leonardo da Vinci, Verrocchio's apprentice, reportedly painted the angel on the far left and parts of the landscape.
The difference in technique is visible. Leonardo's angel has softer modeling and a more complex expression than his companion. The atmospheric landscape behind him shows Leonardo's characteristic sfumato. According to Vasari, Verrocchio was so impressed by his student's work that he vowed never to paint again.
The Uffizi displays this painting as a document of Leonardo's emergence from his master's workshop.
