Saint John the Baptist
Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
Year Composed: 1514
Artistic Movement: Renaissance
Nationality: Italy
Floor Found in Château: Unknown Location
Year Composed: 1514
Artistic Movement: Renaissance
Nationality: Italy
Floor Found in Château: Unknown Location
About the Artwork
Understood to be the final painting by Leonardo da Vinci, his Saint John the Baptist shows the young saint in isolation, becoming visible through sfumato (which is the blurring of outlines between the saint and the dark background) and use of chiaroscuro (or the extreme dark tones that contrast with the extreme light tones). The smile on his face is comparable to the one on da Vinci's Mona Lisa (1503-1516). The style of portraying the young Saint John the Baptist was most likely influenced by depictions from the workshop of Raphael, but also helped to influence later young paintings by Baroque masters like the Carracci Brothers and Caravaggio.
About the Artist
Born in the city of Vinci within the Florentine Republic, Leonardo da Vinci became a Jack-of-all-trades of the Italian Renaissance. In his life, he was a painter, sculptor, architect, inventor, scientist, anatomist, and engineer. Several blueprints and inventions by da Vinci inspired today's modern feats of engineering or transportation, including the parachute and tank. Many of his works of art include a plethora of artistic inventions, including point and atmospheric perspectives (which add visual depth to paintings) as well as sfumato (which is the blurring of outlines between figures and the background). These can be seen within his Mona Lisa (1503-1516), Last Supper (1495-1498), and Lady with an Ermine (1490).
About the Movement
Saint John the Baptist was composed in the Renaissance Age of art. The Renaissance Age was a time, mostly known throughout Europe, that occurred during the 14th and 17th Centuries (or between the 1300s and 1600s). It lies between the Middle Ages and the Baroque Age. Literally meaning "rebirth", the Renaissance was a rebirth of Classical antiquity, allowing artists, writers, poets, scholars, scientists, and philosophers to study and pay homage to their ancient ancestors. During this time, artists were known for painting and sculpting works of Greco-Roman mythology or narratives from the Bible that showcased both cultural themes as well as themes of Christianity. Some of the most famous Renaissance artists included Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael Sanzio, and Tiziano Vecello (better known as Titian).
Location of Original Work of Art: Louvre Museum, Paris, France
Understood to be the final painting by Leonardo da Vinci, his Saint John the Baptist shows the young saint in isolation, becoming visible through sfumato (which is the blurring of outlines between the saint and the dark background) and use of chiaroscuro (or the extreme dark tones that contrast with the extreme light tones). The smile on his face is comparable to the one on da Vinci's Mona Lisa (1503-1516). The style of portraying the young Saint John the Baptist was most likely influenced by depictions from the workshop of Raphael, but also helped to influence later young paintings by Baroque masters like the Carracci Brothers and Caravaggio.
About the Artist
Born in the city of Vinci within the Florentine Republic, Leonardo da Vinci became a Jack-of-all-trades of the Italian Renaissance. In his life, he was a painter, sculptor, architect, inventor, scientist, anatomist, and engineer. Several blueprints and inventions by da Vinci inspired today's modern feats of engineering or transportation, including the parachute and tank. Many of his works of art include a plethora of artistic inventions, including point and atmospheric perspectives (which add visual depth to paintings) as well as sfumato (which is the blurring of outlines between figures and the background). These can be seen within his Mona Lisa (1503-1516), Last Supper (1495-1498), and Lady with an Ermine (1490).
About the Movement
Saint John the Baptist was composed in the Renaissance Age of art. The Renaissance Age was a time, mostly known throughout Europe, that occurred during the 14th and 17th Centuries (or between the 1300s and 1600s). It lies between the Middle Ages and the Baroque Age. Literally meaning "rebirth", the Renaissance was a rebirth of Classical antiquity, allowing artists, writers, poets, scholars, scientists, and philosophers to study and pay homage to their ancient ancestors. During this time, artists were known for painting and sculpting works of Greco-Roman mythology or narratives from the Bible that showcased both cultural themes as well as themes of Christianity. Some of the most famous Renaissance artists included Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael Sanzio, and Tiziano Vecello (better known as Titian).
Location of Original Work of Art: Louvre Museum, Paris, France