Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness, c. 1776
Sir Joshua Reynoldsexpand_more
Oil on canvasexpand_more
The Christina N. and Swan J. Turnblad Memorial Fundexpand_more 68.18
Not on Viewexpand_more
Saint John the Baptist was, by all accounts, a rough character, living in the wilderness on locusts and honey. But Italian and Spanish artists of the 1600s often depicted the Biblical figure as an innocent child, and this painting by Joshua Reynolds was inspired by those Old Masters. Yet the playful, almost infantile nature of his Child Baptist is unique. This was part of a group of paintings that Reynolds called his “fancy pictures,” studies of young children in the style of mythological, allegorical, or religious individuals.
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Details
- Title
- Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness
- Artist Life
- 1723–1792
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 68.18
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Mannings, 2039.
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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