Skip to Content
Closed today, next open Thursday. Closed today, next open Thursday.

  • Mon 11–5
  • Tue–Wed Closed
  • Thu 11–8
  • Fri–Sun 11–5
  • The first hour of every day, 10–11 a.m., is reserved for member-only viewing.

Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness

A work made of oil on copper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

Image actions

  • A work made of oil on copper.

Date:

c. 1602/03

Artist:

Adam Elsheimer
German, 1578–1610

About this artwork

Adam Elsheimer’s small paintings on copper show his remarkable ability to create imaginary, highly composed landscapes. On his arrival in Rome in 1600, Elsheimer was inspired by the city’s antique monuments and its extraordinary artistic environment. In this work, the wooded landscape teeming with wildlife is indebted to painting from Northern Europe, while the youthful saint echoes ancient Greek and Roman sculpture in a pose that reveals both his active mind and his physical strength. Though Elsheimer died in Rome at a relatively young age, his painting profoundly influenced his fellow artists, including Peter Paul Rubens.

Status

On View, Gallery 208

Department

Painting and Sculpture of Europe

Artist

Adam Elsheimer

Title

Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1597–1608

Medium

Oil on copper

Dimensions

21 × 16.3 cm (8 1/4 × 6 3/8 in.)

Credit Line

Lacy Armour Fund, Chester D. Tripp Estate Fund, European Painting General Sales Proceeds, Mrs. Albert Beveridge Fund, Rhoades Foundation

Reference Number

2012.490

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/213758/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Share

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.
Learn more

Image actions

Share

Suggested Terms