Virgin and Child with Saint John the Baptist

In this quiet meeting between the young Christ and Saint John the Baptist, the eyes of the two children meet as the Virgin Mary looks on; the doves the Christ Child offers to his cousin allude both to his future role as Prince of Peace and to his eventual sacrifice, while Joseph enters through a doorway in the background. Guido Reni, the Bolognese master of the high Baroque, eliminated all unnecessary detail to concentrate on the scene’s emotional qualities, applying his colour with the broad brushwork of fresco painting and outlining the important forms with dark, jagged strokes. The painting is held in the J. Paul Getty Museum.