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John the Baptist

John the Baptist, also known as Saint John the Baptist (preaching), is a bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin. After the controversy surrounding his Age of Bronze, Rodin began modeling this larger-than-life figure in 1877. He later showed a plaster model at the Salon of 1880. Rodin said the sculpture was inspired by an Italian peasant named Pignatelli. The work is associated with Rodin and appears in collections and references connected to the Musée Rodin.

Saint John the Baptist sculpture of a bearded nude man raising one arm and pointing upward.
Saint John the Baptist shown as a nude bearded figure with one arm raised toward the sky.
· CC BY-SA 4.0
Saint John the Baptist by Rodin, a bronze sculpture of a standing male figure with a raised left arm.
Saint John the Baptist by Rodin, shown as a full-length bronze figure with one arm raised.
1921 © Lorado Taft · Public domain
Saint John the Baptist by Auguste Rodin, a dark bronze sculpture of a gaunt male figure with an intense upward gaze and one arm extended.
Saint John the Baptist by Auguste Rodin, shown as a dark bronze figure with an outstretched arm.
June 2026 © · CC BY 4.0
Bronze sculpture of Saint John the Baptist, a muscular bearded male figure standing with one arm outstretched.
Saint John the Baptist in bronze, shown in a dynamic standing pose with one arm extended.
© Auguste Rodin (France, 1840-1917) · Public domain
Bronze bust of Saint John the Baptist with long hair and a beard, showing a dark greenish patina.
Saint John the Baptist in bronze, seen here as a bust with a textured dark patina.
June 2024 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleSaint John the Baptist (preaching)
TypeBronze sculpture
Alternative titlesIl San Giovanni Battista; Saint Jean Baptiste; San Giovanni Battista che predica; San Juan Bautista Predicando; San Giovanni il Battista; John the Baptist

Creator

ArtistAuguste Rodin

Historical context

Date created1877-1878
Related earlier workThe Age of Bronze (L'Âge du bronze)
Creation contextRodin began modeling the figure after the controversy over The Age of Bronze, and created it to prove his genius and silence critics who accused that work of being cast

Discovery and provenance

Inspiration / modelCesidio Pignatelli, an Abruzzi peasant from central Italy
Facial modelDanielli, a friend of the sculptor
PreparationRodin made sketches based on ideas fostered since childhood by his father Jean-Baptiste Rodin, including biblical readings and his admission as a novice into the Brothers of the Blessed Sacrament under the name Brother Auguste

Physical characteristics

Figure descriptionA tanned man hardened by the desert
StyleRealistic treatment of the face, hands, and feet; Rodinian style; new sculptural techniques including assemblage, multiplication, and fragmentation
Height2.03-2.3 meters
DepictionA nude figure of Saint John the Baptist standing with the right arm slightly extended, the hand raised, and the index finger pointing upward; traditional camel-skin garments and staff are omitted
ScaleLarger than life-size

Materials

MaterialBronze; plaster versions also exist

Technique

Casting foundryAlexis Rudier foundry

Location and ownership

Exhibition historyFirst exhibited at the Salon of 1880; the bronze version was exhibited in 1881
AwardReceived a medal at the Salon
Ownership / collectionA bronze version was purchased by the state and belongs to the Musée Rodin collection
Current locations of versionsMusée d'Orsay, Paris; Musée Rodin, Paris; MuMa (Musée d'art moderne André Malraux), Le Havre; Museum of Cambrai; Museo Soumaya, Mexico
Other known examplesReduced-size examples were cast between 1878 and 1907; versions are also recorded in the Tate, Victoria and Albert Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Norton Simon Museum, California Palace of the Legion of Honor, Glenkiln Sculpture Park, and Saint Louis Art Museum

Significance

SignificanceHelped establish Rodin's reputation as a genius after The Age of Bronze, confirmed that he had not resorted to casts, and was seen as helping revolutionize sculpture through its expressive forms, emotions, sensuality, and treatment of complex parts