St. John the Baptist c. 19th century

This bronze statuette of Saint John the Baptist was made by an anonymous artist. The figure of St John connects to a long tradition of Christian art. He often appears as an ascetic, who lived in the wilderness, where he preached and baptized converts. We can see how the image creates meaning through the cross that he bears and also through the classical contrapposto stance. Because the artist is unknown, we can only speculate on the social conditions that shaped the production of this artwork, but we can be sure that the sculptor was working within specific artistic institutions. It may have been commissioned by the church, or it may have been made for a wealthy private collector. By studying the patronage of religious art we can learn more about the politics of imagery during this period. We can examine the ways religious imagery was used to reinforce or challenge existing social norms. Such research helps us better understand the meaning of art as something contingent on its social and institutional context.