St. John the Baptist in the Desert, 17th century

The painting, a rare oil on copper plate from the Italian school depicting Saint John the Baptist in the Desert against a residential backdrop, can be dated to the 17th century based on its style and materials. Despite some minor losses of the paint layer, the work stands out for its excellent pictorial quality, the rendering of the modeling, and the attention to detail in the rendering of the Forerunner's face, as well as the details of the setting. The posthumous frame, in gilded wood, silver, and mixed media, dates to the 19th century.