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Notes

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In this painting from early in Moretto’s career, Christ blesses his cousin Saint John the Baptist, who kneels beside a river, wearing a tunic of camel skin. This episode is not mentioned in the Gospels and is not otherwise known in art. It may be that Christ has just been baptised by the saint in the River Jordan and is now about to go into the wilderness (Mark 1: 9–12).

This scene was presumably once part of a larger painting, which may have featured a half-length or bust-length portrait on the right. It has been suggested that this scene and Moretto’s small canvas of Christ in the Wilderness (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York), which is also a fragment, were once part of the same composition. However, the size of the figures is different, so the original character of this painting remains a mystery.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

Christ blessing Saint John the Baptist

Date

about 1520-3

Medium

Oil on canvas

Measurements

H 66.9 x W 94.7 cm

Accession number

NG3096

Acquisition method

Layard Bequest, 1916

Work type

Painting

The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

This venue is open to the public. Not all artworks are on display. If you want to see a particular artwork, please contact the venue.

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Artist or maker

Moretto da Brescia

c.1498–1554

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