Leonardo and Andrea del Verrocchio, Baptism of Christ

Description

On the banks of the Jordan River, in Palestine, Jesus receives the sacrament of baptism from St. John, who wipes his head with water. The Baptist holds a slender cross and a scroll inscribed with the announcement of the Saviour's advent: ECCE AGNUS DEI [QUI TOLLIT PECCATA MUNDI]. Two kneeling angels witness the event, one of whom holds Jesus' robe. It is probable that in the present panel "Baptism of Christ", in addition to Verrocchio and Leonardo, a third, older painter also worked, as suggested by the less evolved character of some details, such as the hands of God the Father and the dove of the Holy Spirit, at the top. Leonardo's angel, on the other hand, stands out for the articulated pose of the body, whose shoulders and tender youthful face can be seen together, as if he were turning, and the extraordinary naturalness of the drapery of the blue mantle. The panel comes from the church of the Vallombrosan monastery of San Salvi in Florence. It then passed in 1730 to another Florentine Vallombrosan settlement, that of Santa Verdiana, and arrived in the collections of the Florentine galleries in 1810. At the Uffizi since 1919.The work is made through the technique of Pictography, according to ancient methods and natural materials; it is handmade entirely in Umbria.Each frame is made of solid wood, with an interlocking joint; the first primer is based on Bologna gypsum and natural glue; the later are in tempera. The decoration is handmade and, usually, it is studied on the work it will contain. The design is inspired by the museum frames of the various eras.