Artwork
St. John the Baptist
St. John the Baptist is a print by the Baroque artist Guercino. It dates from 1654 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. St.
- Accession no.
- 1971.36
- Credit line
- Purchased from the Bequest of Marion Hall Strauss
About this work
Overview
St. John the Baptist is a print by Italian Baroque artist Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri), created circa 1654, now in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays the biblical figure of St. John the Baptist in solemn attire, conveying a sense of restrained yet expressive intensity.
Technique & Style
Guercino employed deep shadows to achieve profound depth and realism, characteristic of his later, more classically balanced period, which utilized chiaroscuro to focus attention on the subject.
History & Provenance
Originally from Cento, Guercino worked primarily between Rome and Bologna, evolving from an early vigorous naturalism to a later, more refined classical style, as evident in this piece.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (8 February 1591 – 22 December 1666), better known as (il) Guercino (Italian pronunciation: ), was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna.
