18th-century Cretan school panel painting—St. John the Baptist

This painting on a pointed-arch panel depicts Saint John the Baptist, one of the most important figures in Christian tradition.The saint is immediately recognizable thanks to his classic iconographic attributes:The leather garment: he wears a dark tunic made of animal fleece or skin (traditionally camel), which recalls his ascetic life in the desert.The processional cross: he holds a long staff ending in a processional cross made of reeds. The scroll: a ribbon or scroll is wrapped around the cross, usually bearing the famous Latin phrase "Ecce Agnus Dei" ("Behold the Lamb of God").The pointing gesture: with his right hand, he makes the typical gesture of pointing, a theological reference to his role as the “Forerunner” who points to and announces the coming of Jesus Christ. The panel is likely from the 18th century, from the Dalmatian or Cretan school. H. 55 cm - W. 24.5 cm - Thickness 4 cm