Saint John the Baptist
1554
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1554
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Saint John the Baptist is a 1554 ink by Battista Franco, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows a bearded man lying down on a rock. His curly hair and long beard frame a serious face, and his muscular arms rest on his chest. The folds of his loose robe are sharply drawn, and his legs stretch out behind him, one foot pointing down. The artist used fine lines to create deep shadows and texture, especially in the hair and fabric. This was a common way to make prints look three-dimensional back then. Next, check out etching to see how artists like Franco made these detailed prints.
