Saint John the Baptist Bearing Witness

Annibale Carracci

ca. 1600 · Oil on copper · European Paintings

Among his innovations, Annibale launched the vogue for landscapes in which nature was carefully studied but transformed by the imagination into an idyllic setting for religious or mythological stories. The main figure’s large almond eyes derive from the study of ancient sculpture. Annibale’s painting depicts John heralding the arrival of Christ, to whom he points and whom he will baptize the next day. This beautifully preserved oil on copper has been part of several illustrious collections, including the Farnese family’s in Parma and the Orléans collection in Paris.

Artist

Annibale Carracci

Date

ca. 1600

Medium

Oil on copper

Department

European Paintings

Credit line

Gift of Fabrizio Moretti and Adam Williams, in honor of Everett Fahy, 2009