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
Rights
Public Domain
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. Lippo Memmi, a prominent Sienese artist and brother-in-law to Simone Martini, contributed to the refined International Gothic style emerging in Tuscany. His linear elegance and stylized poses reflect Siena's rivalry with Florence, emphasizing decorative beauty over realism. This panel, part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection at the National Gallery of Art, likely served as a predella or single devotional piece, underscoring John the Baptist's role as a symbol of penance and prophecy in medieval Christianity. Today, it offers a window into the spiritual fervor of the Trecento, where art bridged the divine and earthly realms, inviting contemplation of faith amid the Black Death's shadow.