Nativity and Naming of St. John the Baptist, ca. 1510

Title

Nativity and Naming of St. John the Baptist

Painter

• Dutch Master around 1510

Inventor

• after Rogier van der Weyden

Altar

St. John Altarpiece (after Rogier van der Weyden)

Part Number / Total

1 / 3

Period Produced

• 16th century

School

• Late Middle Ages

Object Type

• painting (artwork)

Physical Description

Mixed technique on oak

Material

• oak wood

Technique

• mixed technique

Institution

• Städel Museum

Departement

• Old Masters 1300 - 1800

Collection

• Städelsches Kunstinstitut

Creditline

Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main

Picture Copyright

Public Domain

Acquisition

Acquired in 1840

Genre

• altarpiece
• depiction of a saint
• Biblical portrayal
• literary representation
• historical narration

Main Motif

• young John the Baptist
• Mary
• Zechariah
• Elisabeth
• woman
• child
• man
• group of people
• portal

Persons Shown

• John the Baptist as a boy
• Mary
• Elizabeth
• Zechariah
• Jude (apostle)
• Philip (apostle)
• Thomas (apostle)
• Bartholomew (apostle)

Associated Persons and Institutions

• Rogier van der Weyden
• Matthew (evangelist)
• John the Baptist (prophet)

Illustrated Passage

• Bibel, Neues Testament, Lukas 1,57-63
• Die Legenda aurea des Jacobus de Voragine, übersetzt von Richard Benz, Heidelberg 1984, S. 411-413

Primary

• 73A141 naming of John the Baptist; Zacharias writing John's name
• 42A22 visiting the new mother, lying-in visit

Secondary

• 48C145(+74221) architectural settings in paintings, sculptures, etc. (+ Gothic art)
• 48C162(+32) arch, archivolt ~ architecture (+ sculpture)
• 73A11 annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist to Zacharias: while he is offering incense in the temple an angel (Gabriel) appears to him
• 73A111 Zacharias speechless before the people
• 73A42 marriage of Mary and Joseph, 'Sposalizio': they are married by the high priest
• 73A523 the Annunciation: Mary kneeling
• 73A623 Mary and Elisabeth shaking hands
• 73B23 adoration of the Christ-child by Mary and Joseph
• 11H(JUDE THADDAEUS)9 the apostle Jude Thaddaeus; possible attributes: book, club, halberd, scroll - portrait of male saint
• 11H(PHILIP)9 the apostle Philip; possible attributes: book, cross, dish with snake, lance, scroll, stone, sword - portrait of male saint
• 11H(THOMAS)9 the apostle Thomas; possible attributes: book, chalice, girdle, heart, lance or spear, scroll, square, stones - portrait of male saint
• 11H(BARTHOLOMEW)9 the apostle Bartholomew; possible attributes: book, devil or dragon at feet, knife, scroll, flayed skin, staff - portrait of male saint