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Saint John the Baptist

Jacopo Palma il Giovane

1588

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious

Dominant colour

Saint John the Baptist is a 1588 ink by Jacopo Palma il Giovane, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Jacopo Palma il Giovane
When & what style?: 1588 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a robed figure kneeling in a wild landscape. The lines are scratchy and loose, like quick pencil strokes. Trees and bushes fill the background, tangled and uneven. The person’s head is turned slightly, and their hands rest on their knees. The artist used a technique where ink is scratched into a metal plate, then pressed onto paper. This makes the lines look rough and textured. Next, check out etching to see how this method works.