The present lot depicts Saint John the Baptist standing, dressed in animal skin, in his left hand he holds the Bible on which a lamb rests.

In Christianity, agnus Dei or agnusdei (translated from Latin, Lamb of God) refers to Jesus Christ as a sacrificial victim for the sins of men, in the likeness of the lamb that was sacrificed and consumed by the Jews during the annual Passover commemoration.

The lamb is also the symbol that announces St. John’s subsequent sacrifice and death.

He is considered a prophet, and several branches of Christianity have proclaimed him a saint. Saint John, called the Baptist since he baptized Jesus, practiced asceticism and in religious iconography is always portrayed dressed in a lamb’s skin. John proclaimed the baptism of the repentant for the forgiveness of sins. According to Saint Mark, John said that another would follow him who would not baptize with water, but with the Holy Spirit.

The background to the right of the portrait portrays a scene in which Saint John is baptizing Jesus of Nazareth in the Jordan River.

“At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Mark 1:9-11

In the lower left corner, the artist has rendered a half-length portrait of a donor, a gentleman of distinguished position judging by his dress, with the hands united in prayer and gaze directed towards the saint.