Artwork
Panel with Saint John the Baptist Enthroned from Retable
Panel with Saint John the Baptist Enthroned from Retable is a tempera painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Domingo Ram. It dates from 1450 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition combines contemporary 15th-century stylistic elements with symbolic attributes typical of Iberian religious painting of the period.
The panel, created by Domingo Ram in 1450, portrays Saint John the Baptist seated on a throne and accompanied by a lamb, an attribute identified in the work's iconography. The enthroned figure emphasizes his prophetic authority, while the lamb alludes to his role as herald of the Lamb of God. As part of a retable, the image functioned as a devotional image within a liturgical setting, reinforcing the saint's intercessory function in the prayer of the faithful.
The composition combines contemporary 15th-century stylistic elements with symbolic attributes typical of Iberian religious painting of the period.
Technique & Style
Domingo Ram executed the Panel with Saint John the Baptist Enthroned from Retable in tempera on panel around 1450. The use of tempera, a medium in which pigments are bound with egg yolk, was standard for Spanish devotional panels of this period, allowing for precise detail and luminous colour on a wooden support. The work belongs to the religious genre, depicting the enthroned saint with his traditional attribute, the lamb.
The panel format and retable context indicate it functioned as part of a larger altarpiece ensemble, typical of mid-15th-century Spanish church decoration. The medium and support reflect established workshop practices of the time, prioritizing durability and clarity of form for liturgical settings.
History & Provenance
The Panel with Saint John the Baptist Enthroned from a Retable was created by the artist Domingo Ram around the year 1450. Executed in tempera on a panel support, this religious work depicts John the Baptist seated with a lamb. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
While the specific commission details and original patron remain unrecorded in the available documentation, the work is dated to the mid-fifteenth century based on stylistic and historical attribution to Ram. The painting functions as a fragment from a larger retable, reflecting the devotional art practices of its era. Its provenance prior to its acquisition by the museum is not detailed in the provided records.
Overview
This painting, titled "Panel with Saint John the Baptist Enthroned from Retable," was created by Domingo Ram around 1450. Executed in tempera, the work depicts Saint John the Baptist accompanied by a lamb. Originally conceived as a component of a larger altarpiece, this religious panel is now housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, offering insight into 15th-century Iberian devotional art.
Context
As indicated by its title, this panel was once part of a larger retable, a multi-paneled altarpiece typically placed behind the altar in a church. Such complex structures often combined multiple scenes and figures, serving both devotional and narrative purposes for the congregation. This individual panel would have contributed to a broader visual program, enriching the spiritual experience of the worshippers.
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Artist & collection
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