Nicolas Mignard (1606-1668) Workshop. Saint-jean Baptiste In The Desert.

French school of the 17th century, Saint-Jean Baptiste in the desert.

Oil on its original canvas and frame measuring 63 cm by 50 cm.
Old frame from the 17th century called Carlo Maratta, 82 cm by 67 cm.

Saint-Jean Baptiste.

We know the elements of the life of this biblical character mainly through two sources: the Jewish Antiquities of the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, written around 90 AD, and the gospels. But for historians, it is above all the testimony of the existence and activity of John in the four gospels which is a guarantee of “historicity”, even if the authors of the latter can present divergent points of view. John the Baptist is the son of a priest of the Temple, Zacharias, and Elisabeth, a relative of the Virgin Mary. John the Baptist is therefore the cousin of Jesus. As an adult, John retreats into the desert and leads an ascetic life. According to Matthew, he feeds on “locusts and wild honey” and wears clothing made of camel hair. It is there that he begins his activity as a preacher, where he announces and prepares the coming of the Messiah. He also practices the rite of baptism, on the banks of the Jordan, and is surrounded by numerous disciples to whom he announces the imminent coming of the Messiah.