VERONESE, Paolo
(b. 1528, Verona, d. 1588, Venezia)

St John the Baptist Preaching

c. 1562
Oil on canvas, 205 x 169 cm
Galleria Borghese, Rome

The extraordinary beauty of the Venetian fabrics already to be found in the work of Palma il Vecchio is brought to unrivalled perfection by Paolo Veronese. In the St John the Baptist Preaching (c. 1562), which heralds the coming of Christ, the figures are wrapped in magnificent oriental silk robes and three are wearing turbans. Their differing reactions to the sermon are reflected in their facial expressions. The skilful composition of the painting creates a balance between the weight of the group of figures on the right and the perspective on the left.