Saint John the Baptist

Discussion

FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

John the Baptist was a preacher who baptized Christ in the River Jordan. The German artist of this small devotional painting has depicted John wearing clothes made of camel's hair, as is described in the Gospels. Wrapped in a red cloak, John holds a book with a lamb sitting on top of it. The clothing, book, and lamb are common symbols depicted alongside John by artists so that viewers could recognize him. The lamb is associated with John because when he first saw Christ he exclaimed, "Behold, the Lamb of God." The artist has skillfully tooled gold leaf to create a pattern behind the saint similar to the damask on the green seat he rests on.

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