Workshop of Nicolas Mignard (1606-1668), Saint-jean Baptiste In The Desert.

Oil on its original canvas and frame measuring 63 cm by 50 cm.
Old frame from the 17th century called Carlo Maratta, 82 cm by 67 cm.

Our painting represents Saint John the Baptist in the desert. Made by an artist from the French school of the 17th century who was inspired by Saint John the Baptist by Nicolas Mignard painted around 1645 and which we can still admire since it is part of the Motais de Narbonne collection (exhibition in February-June 2019 Fondation Bemberg Toulouse). The artist indeed takes up the posture of this Saint John the Baptist by Nicolas Mignard (also widely adopted by many artists) but he is also and very clearly inspired by an older Italian work, “Saint-Jean the Baptist » regarding the landscape this time, by the painter Sisto Badalocchio (Parma, 1585-1621). “Sisto Badalocchio (Parma 1585-1621)”, edited by Massimo Pirondini and text by Giuseppe Berti, Marigo Art Books, Manerba del Garda, 2004, no. 51 bis, p. 133.

Saint-Jean Baptiste.

We know the elements of the life of this biblical character mainly through two sources: the Jewish Antiquities of the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, written around 90 AD, and the gospels. But for historians, it is above all the testimony of the existence and activity of John in the four gospels which is a guarantee of “historicity”, even if the authors of the latter can present divergent points of view. John the Baptist is the son of a priest of the Temple, Zacharias, and Elisabeth, a relative of the Virgin Mary. John the Baptist is therefore the cousin of Jesus. As an adult, John retreats into the desert and leads an ascetic life. According to Matthew, he feeds on “locusts and wild honey” and wears clothing made of camel hair. It is there that he begins his activity as a preacher, where he announces and prepares the coming of the Messiah. He also practices the rite of baptism, on the banks of the Jordan, and is surrounded by numerous disciples to whom he announces the imminent coming of the Messiah.