Saint John the Baptist
by Caravaggio, 1610
Artwork Details
Details
- Year
- 1610
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Size
- 159 cm × 124 cm (63 × 49 in)
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Caravaggio painted multiple versions of Saint John the Baptist throughout his career. This late version, from around 1610, shows the young prophet in the wilderness with his traditional attribute of a lamb. John's pose echoes the ignudi (nude figures) on Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling.
The red drapery provides the only color against John's flesh and the dark background. Caravaggio's late style shows looser brushwork than his earlier, tightly painted works. This painting may have been among those Caravaggio carried with him when he died in 1610, hoping to present them to Cardinal Borghese in exchange for a pardon. It hangs in the Borghese Gallery.
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About Saint John the Baptist
Caravaggio created at least seven versions of John the Baptist. The subject suited his style: a nude figure in dramatic light, contemplating spiritual matters in wilderness isolation.
The lamb symbolizes Christ. John the Baptist said, 'Behold the Lamb of God.' The animal's presence identifies John and connects him to his role announcing the Messiah.
This John the Baptist dates to around 1610, Caravaggio's final year. The looser brushwork and muted colors characterize his late style, developed during years of exile.
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