St. John the Baptist | Pinacoteca di Brera
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St. John the Baptist

Dosso Dossi (Giovanni di Nicolò Luteri)

This panel together with the St. George, which once stood on either side of a now lost Madonna and Child, are late works, in which the figures’ sculptural character is highlighted by sharp blades of light and their contrived posture,for example, the way in which John the Baptist twists his body to show off his muscular shoulder to the observer. St. George’s facial features are said to be those of Francesco d’Este, lord of Massa Lombarda (the city for which the panels were painted) and probably the patron who commissioned the work.

 
 

Labels about the 3 Faiths

“John the Baptist is a bridge between Islam and Christianity: he possesses many qualities of Jesus, may peace and blessings be upon them both. The Qur’an speaks to this painting: half in shadow, half in light, a figure of strength, with a tender expression that depicts his noble qualities. When I look at him, I think not of the cruelty of his death, but of how remarkable it is to be seen possessing the same God-given attributes as Jesus, holy Prophet of Islam. And in that moment, I feel reverent.”
Ausma Zehanat Khan

 
 

Download hi-res image TITLE St. John the Baptist
AUTHOR Dosso Dossi (Giovanni di Nicolò Luteri)
DATE c. 1540
OBJECT TYPE AND MATERIAL Oil on panel
DIMENSIONS cm 163 x 48
INVENTORY 1223
ROOM XXI
Work on display
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