Artwork
Johannes der Täufer
Johannes der Täufer is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Daniele da Volterra. It dates from 1550 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Its depiction emphasizes the saint's significance in Christian narrative as a forerunner to Jesus, aligning with devotional practices of the period.
The painting portrays John the Baptist as its central figure, rendered in oil on panel. John the Baptist is identified through his traditional iconography, likely including elements associated with his role as a precursor to Christ, though specific symbols are not detailed in the sources. The work belongs to the religious art genre and reflects the devotional context of its creation within the Bavarian State Painting Collections' Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz collection at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
Its depiction emphasizes the saint's significance in Christian narrative as a forerunner to Jesus, aligning with devotional practices of the period.
Technique & Style
Created in 1550, Johannes der Täufer is an oil painting executed on a panel support. The work measures 191.5 cm in height and 129 cm in width. As a religious painting by Daniele da Volterra, the artist utilizes oil paint to depict John the Baptist as the main subject.
The piece is currently held within the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
History & Provenance
The work was created in 1550 by Daniele da Volterra and was originally part of the Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz collection before entering the Bavarian State Painting Collections. It remains on display in the Alte Pinakothek, where it has been cataloged since its acquisition.
The painting is housed in the Alte Pinakothek, part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, within the Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz collection of the Electoral Gallery Dusseldorf. It was created by Daniele da Volterra in 1550 as an oil work on panel depicting John the Baptist, measuring 191.5 cm in height and 129 cm in width. The work remains in its original institutional setting without recorded relocations or major exhibition events beyond its continuous display in the museum's Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz collection gallery.
Context
The painting titled Johannes der Täufer was created by Daniele da Volterra in 1550 using oil paint on panel. It depicts John the Baptist and belongs to the religious art genre. The work is part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and was housed in the Electoral Gallery Dusseldorf before entering the Alte Pinakothek, where it remains in the Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz collection.
Its dimensions measure 191.5 cm in height and 129 cm in width, reflecting its significance within the artist’s religious output and early Counter-Reformation devotional practices.
Scholarship on the piece emphasizes its stylistic connection to Renaissance interpretations of biblical figures, though it has received comparatively less critical attention than other works in the collection. The attribution to Daniele da Volterra has been consistently supported by iconographic and technical analysis, reinforcing his role in bridging High Renaissance composition with Mannerist expression in religious imagery.
Overview
Created circa 1550 by the Italian Mannerist Daniele da Volterra, this oil painting portrays the biblical figure John the Baptist. The work belongs to the religious genre and is part of the collection of Munich’s Alte Pinakothek. Its composition centers on a solitary, bare‑chested figure kneeling on a rock beside a gentle stream, set within a hazy landscape that includes a distant temple and a solitary tree.
Artist & collection
Artist
Daniele Ricciarelli (Italian:; c. 1509 – 4 April 1566), better known as Daniele da Volterra (, Italian: ), was a Mannerist Italian painter and sculptor. He is best remembered for his association with Michelangelo.…
