Artwork
Flower garland surrounding John the Baptist with the lamb
Flower garland surrounding John the Baptist with the lamb is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Gaspar Peeter Verbruggen the Elder. It dates from 1654 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents John the Baptist standing amid a dense garland of assorted flowers, the figure holding a lamb that identifies him as the forerunner of Christ. The lamb, a traditional attribute of the saint, conveys notions of sacrificial offering and innocence, while the surrounding floral motif reinforces themes of purity and divine favor common in Counter-Reformation religious art. Executed in oil on canvas in 1654 by Gaspar Peeter Verbruggen the Elder, the work belongs to the religious genre and was intended for devotional contemplation within a Flemish artistic tradition that combined naturalistic detail with symbolic iconography.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1654, this work is an oil painting on canvas that exemplifies the collaborative genre of floral garlands surrounding a religious scene.
Executed in 1654, this work is an oil painting on canvas that exemplifies the collaborative genre of floral garlands surrounding a religious scene. The composition features a lush, detailed wreath of flowers encircling a central depiction of John the Baptist with a lamb. The artist, Gaspar Peeter Verbruggen the Elder, used oil paint to render the varied textures and vibrant colors of the botanical elements, contrasting them with the sacred figures at the core.
The piece is classified as both a religious work and a floral painting, highlighting the integration of still-life precision with devotional imagery typical of the period.
History & Provenance
The painting Flower garland surrounding John the Baptist with the lamb was created in 1654 by the Flemish artist Gaspar Peeter Verbruggen the Elder. Executed in oil on canvas, the work combines religious imagery with floral decoration, depicting John the Baptist alongside a lamb encircled by a garland. The piece is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains part of the institution's holdings of religious and floral art.
No specific details regarding its original commission or intermediate ownership prior to entering the museum are provided in the available records.
Overview
Gaspar Peeter Verbruggen the Elder, a Flemish painter known for his floral compositions, created Flower garland surrounding John the Baptist with the lamb in 1654. This oil painting exemplifies the Flemish Baroque style, presenting a central religious figure framed by an elaborate botanical arrangement. It features John the Baptist alongside a lamb, encircled by a meticulously rendered floral garland, a characteristic motif of the artist's work.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gaspar Peeter Verbruggen the Elder
Gaspar Peeter Verbruggen the Elder (Antwerp, 1635 – Antwerp, 16 April 1681) was a Flemish painter of flowers and garland paintings.
