Artwork
The Sermon of John the Baptist
The Sermon of John the Baptist is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Pieter Brueghel the Younger. It dates from 1615 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a piece of religious art, the composition centers on the preacher as the main subject, surrounded by listeners and set within a natural landscape.
The work depicts the biblical scene of John the Baptist delivering a sermon to a gathered crowd. As a piece of religious art, the composition centers on the preacher as the main subject, surrounded by listeners and set within a natural landscape. The visual narrative includes specific elements such as trees and a dog, which populate the scene alongside the human figures.
Created in 1615, the painting serves to illustrate the moment of John's preaching, focusing on the act of religious instruction within a crowd.
Technique & Style
The Sermon of John the Baptist is executed in oil paint on an oak panel support. Created in 1615, the work measures 115.3 cm in height and 171.3 cm in width. Classified as a religious painting, the composition depicts a crowd scene featuring John the Baptist preaching, accompanied by specific figures such as a dog and a tree. The handling of the medium captures the detailed narrative elements typical of the artist's genre work.
History & Provenance
The Sermon of John the Baptist was created by Pieter Brueghel the Younger in 1615, executed in oil paint on an oak panel. The work depicts the New Testament scene of John the Baptist preaching to a crowd, with a dog and tree also present in the composition.
The painting is held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is located at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it forms part of the museum's holdings of religious art. The sources do not provide further details regarding the original commission, early ownership, or the chain of custody prior to its acquisition by the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
The painting is held by the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, a part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
Its inventory number is 10152. The work was accessioned into the collection before 1912.
It has been exhibited at the Alte Pinakothek in 1975 as part of the exhibition "Pieter Brueghel der Jüngere und seine Werkstatt."
Overview
Pieter Brueghel the Younger, a Flemish painter active around the turn of the 17th century, created The Sermon of John the Baptist in 1615. Executed in oil on canvas, the work belongs to the Flemish Baroque tradition and is presently part of the Alte Pinakothek’s collection.
Context
As a son of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Brueghel the Younger inherited a tradition of populist genre scenes that blend biblical narrative with everyday life. This work exemplifies that approach, merging a sacred sermon with a lively depiction of contemporary Flemish society.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter Brueghel the Younger ( BROY-gəl, also US: BROO-gəl; Dutch:; between 23 May and 10 October 1564 – between March and May 1638) was a Flemish painter known for numerous copies after his father Pieter Bruegel the…
