Capriccio Depicting St. John The Baptist Preaching - Alberto Carlieri (rome 1672–1720)

Unpublished painting by Alberto Carlieri in a period frame. St. John the Baptist’s sermon to the faithful and his disciples takes place in an evocative landscape in which the painter has recreated a sort of timeless Acropolis, creating a raised plaza amid the architectural ruins. This scene, in which John the Baptist invites the faithful to follow our Lord Jesus Christ, symbolizes the transience of material things and the importance of spirituality. The ruins, witnesses to a glorious past, remind us that every civilization has a cycle of birth, growth, and decline. In this context, Saint John stands as a prophet, drawing attention to the need for inner change. His message is clear: to prepare for the coming of the Lord, it is essential to abandon the ways of sin and return to a life of virtue and faith.

Given the quality of the painting and its execution, we can attribute this canvas with a certain degree of confidence to the Roman landscape painter Alberto Carlieri, who, in this work, demonstrated particular skill in modulating the landscape planes and rendering the city in the background. The figures, too, in terms of their drapery and anatomical detail, can be considered of excellent craftsmanship.

The painting has not been on the market and is in excellent condition.

A certificate of authenticity is included with the sale.