Artwork
Saint John the Baptist
Saint John the Baptist is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Palma il Giovane. It dates from 1588 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1588, this etching by Jacopo Palma il Giovane, known as Palma il Giovane, depicts Saint John the Baptist. Executed as a print, the work presents a solitary, robed figure kneeling amid an untamed natural setting, rendered with a loose, gestural line that conveys immediacy.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, identified by his attire and posture, is Saint John the Baptist in a moment of contemplation. His head is slightly turned, and his hands rest on his knees, suggesting a meditative stance within a chaotic landscape that may symbolize the saint’s prophetic isolation.
Technique & Style
The image was produced by incising lines into a metal plate, filling the grooves with ink, and transferring the design onto paper. This etching process yields a texture of rough, uneven strokes, evident in the tangled foliage and the sketch‑like rendering of the saint’s form.
History & Provenance
The work originates from the late Renaissance period in Venice, where Palma il Giovane was active. Though specific ownership records are sparse, the piece reflects the artist’s engagement with religious subjects common to the Counter‑Reformation era.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Iacopo Negretti (1548/50 – 14 October 1628), best known as Jacopo or Giacomo Palma il Giovane or simply Palma Giovane ('Young Palma'), was an Italian painter from Venice and a notable exponent of the Venetian school.
- Saint John the Baptist
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Saint John the Baptist in the Desert
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a) Study of a Man Kneeling, Looking Upward (recto); b) Studies of the Same Figure (verso)
Kneeling Man Bound to a Tree
Saint Jerome
Saint Jerome