Giovanni Pietro Rizzoli, "Giampietrino"
Saint John the Baptist

This image of Saint John the Baptist is part of a series of artworks by Rizzoli, featuring half-length figures set against dark backgrounds. The figures are softly modeled with light and shadow, creating blurred outlines through the “Leonardesque” sfumato technique. The Baptist gestures downward toward a lamb that symbolizes the Son of God’s sacrifice as the path to salvation. His gesture echoes Leonardo’s depiction of this saint, now in the Louvre, though in that version the figure points upward toward the cross at the top of his staff.

Spotted an error or information that is missing? Our collection database is a living document which is frequently updated and may change with further research. If you have additional information to share, please contact Museo de Arte de Ponce at images@museoarteponce.org tell us more.