|
In the years of his artistic maturity, Longhi tended to organize his paintings in cycles. This canvas belongs to a series of the Seven Sacraments. It provided an opportunity for the artist to create affecting images of contemporary life. This baptism scene is one of the most delicate, informed by simple, profound feeling. Few people are present at the service, but all are shown as deeply human and intensely involved. The godfather, an elderly man, holds the baby in his arms, while a woman looks on from behind a column. The gaze of the acolyte, turned outwards, draws the viewer into the picture.
|
