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The Young Saint John the Baptist

ca. 1480–82
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 604

Paintings and sculptures of the young Saint John the Baptist were common in Florentine homes, where citizens invoked him as the patron saint of Florence and protector of its people. In domestic settings, he was portrayed as both a saint and a Florentine boy, a deliberate ambiguity that would have made him relatable to young devotees in the household. Fittingly, Piero’s John the Baptist is both a sympathetic youth and a mystical guardian. This was one of the first works that Piero painted, and his skillful execution of naturalistic details reveals his interest in Netherlandish painting.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Young Saint John the Baptist
  • Artist: Piero di Cosimo (Piero di Lorenzo di Piero d'Antonio) (Italian, Florence 1462–1522 Florence)
  • Date: ca. 1480–82
  • Medium: Tempera and oil on wood
  • Dimensions: 11 1/2 x 9 1/4 in. (29.2 x 23.5 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: The Bequest of Michael Dreicer, 1921
  • Object Number: 22.60.52
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Bust of a Young Woman, Piero di Cosimo (Piero di Lorenzo di Piero d'Antonio) Italian, Metalpoint, highlighted with white gouache, on blue-gray prepared paper
Bust of a Young Woman
Piero di Cosimo (Piero di Lorenzo di Piero d'Antonio)
ca. 1495
A Hunting Scene, Piero di Cosimo (Piero di Lorenzo di Piero d'Antonio) Italian, Tempera and oil transferred to Masonite
A Hunting Scene
Piero di Cosimo (Piero di Lorenzo di Piero d'Antonio)
ca. 1494–1500
The Return from the Hunt, Piero di Cosimo (Piero di Lorenzo di Piero d'Antonio) Italian, Tempera and oil on wood
The Return from the Hunt
Piero di Cosimo (Piero di Lorenzo di Piero d'Antonio)
ca. 1494–1500
The Meditation on the Passion, Vittore Carpaccio Italian, Oil and tempera on wood
The Meditation on the Passion
Vittore Carpaccio
ca. 1490
The Birth of the Virgin, Fra Carnevale (Bartolomeo di Giovanni Corradini) Italian, Tempera and oil on wood
The Birth of the Virgin
Fra Carnevale (Bartolomeo di Giovanni Corradini)
1467

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