Both the long, narrow format of this icon and the posture of John the Baptist indicate that this icon was originally part of an iconostasis. An iconostasis, or icon wall in an Orthodox Church, typically shows John the Baptist on the viewer’s right of Christ in Majesty, with the Mother of God in the corresponding position on the other side of Christ. This row of the iconostasis is called the Deesis row; “Deesis” means “prayer” or “supplication.” John the Baptist raises his hands and leans his body slightly forward towards the figure of Christ, which would have been to the left of this icon. If you look at one of the folding iconostases in the Museum’s collection, or at the large photo mural on the Museum’s lower level, you can see similar icons of John the Baptist in their original contexts.

Dating to 1450, this is one of the oldest icons in the Museum’s collection. As such, it has several characteristics of the late Byzantine period, rooted in the sculpture of ancient Greece and Rome. It uses the folds of drapery to suggest the human body underneath, particularly visible around the figure’s left knee. The use of gesture to convey character and emotion comes from the Hellenistic Greek tradition. The Greek sculptors working on friezes at the top of temples had to resolve the problem of how to read emotion from far away.  These classical Greek artists created a vocabulary of emotions that were expressed through gesture: for example, hands over the face express grief; upraised arms suggest supplication. In this icon, you can see that John’s bended knee indicates humility, his thrusting jaw conveys courage, and his open hands show that he accepts baptism.

The painting technique relies on the layered application of thin glazes of paint to build up subtle shades of translucent colors. The result is a refined and elegant finish that creates an illusion of depth and is especially pronounced in the fabric.

The story of John the Baptist can be found on the Folklore tour.