Oil On Copper, Late 17th Century, Saint John The Baptist And The Lamb,

"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" ( John, I, 29) , This famous phrase from the Gospel is often illustrated by this depiction of a youthful Saint John the Baptist, caressing the lamb representing the atoning figure of Christ.
He is holding a vessel, probably the cross, which bears a phylactery inscribed with "ecce agnus", the beginning of this verse.
Saint John is reverent, meditative, his head gently tilted towards the lamb dozing under the caress.
This serene scene is nevertheless a reminder of the sacrifice to come.
In view of the painter's aesthetic choices, the painting appears to belong to a Flemish or German school, and was produced in the late 16th or early 17th century.
It is a work intended for private piety, to be kept in a personal oratory.
The copper is remarkably large, measuring 37 cm high by 30.5 cm wide.
It is presented in a sober frame, probably original, lacquered in soft green and edged with gold on the molding that encloses the painting, the parts of which have become slightly disjointed over time due to drying. The frame, made of two layers of wood (it includes a sole, as was customary at the time), is still very solid.
The pictorial surface is in its original state, with old restorations in the background, but the subject is perfectly legible and well preserved.
This is an old work full of gentleness, which will be to one's choice, a support for prayer or an evocation of faith in the great century.