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Notes
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The saint has just been born; the story of his birth is recorded in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. His father Zacharias, shown here as an old man, had a vision of an angel who told him he would have a son and call him John. Zacharias was amazed: he and his wife had never been able to conceive and were now both elderly.
As a result of his disbelief the angel took away Zacharias’s voice. Because he could not speak, we see Zacharias writing John’s name in a book resting on his knee.
Title
The Birth of Saint John the Baptist: Predella Panel
Date
1454
Medium
Egg tempera on wood
Measurements
H 30.5 x W 36 cm
Accession number
NG5453
Acquisition method
Bought with a contribution from The Art Fund, 1944
Work type
Painting
The National Gallery, London
Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England
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