Saint John the Baptist
probably c. 1325
Medium
tempera on panel
Dimensions
painted surface (incised line to incised line): 88.7 × 42.2 cm (34 15/16 × 16 5/8 in.) painted surface (original panel): 92.5 × 44 cm (36 7/16 × 17 5/16 in.) overall: 94.3 × 45.3 cm (37 1/8 × 17 13/16 in.) framed: 99.1 x 48.3 x 6 cm (39 x 19 x 2 3/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CIS-R
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Accession Number
1939.1.291
Art Historical Context
Step into the radiant world of 14th Sienese painting with *Saint John the Baptist*, masterful tempera on panel attributed to Lippo Memmi, likely created around 1325. Measuring about 93 x 44 cm on its original panel, this devotional work captures the austere yet elegant figure of the saint, a pivotal biblical precursor to Christ, rendered with the delicate grace typical of Siena's Gothic tradition. Tempera, made from pigments mixed with egg yolk, allowed for luminous colors and fine details on the gold-ground panel, a technique that made such images glow in dimly lit chapels or private altars. ...