Birth and Naming of John the Baptist

late 13th century

Italian 13th Century

Associated Names
This is a painting of a religious scene with two distinct panels. In the top panel, a figure is reclining in a bed, with a halo, while another haloed figure sits nearby, and a third figure tends to a cradle holding an infant. The bottom panel shows a seated figure writing in a book with an attentive audience of figures standing before him. The style resembles a medieval manuscript illumination, with vivid colors, gold accents, and intricate detailing on the garments and background. The painting uses an architectural framework motif to divide the two narrative scenes. The color palette includes deep reds, blues, and golds, and the background is patterned.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    miniature on vellum

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 22.1 x 15.8 cm (8 11/16 x 6 1/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1950.1.7

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    NGA Miniatures 1975, no. 4


Artwork history & notes

Exhibition History

1950

  • Rosenwald Collection: An Exhibition of Recent Acquisitions, NGA, 1950, no. 6.

1975

  • Medieval and Renaissance Miniatures from the National Gallery of Art, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1975, no. 4, repro.

Bibliography

1975

  • National Gallery of Art. Medieval and Renaissance Miniatures from the National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1975: no. 4.

Wikidata ID

Q64578943

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