Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness c. 1602 - 1603

Adam Elsheimer created this oil on copper painting, Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness, a little over four centuries ago. The material itself, copper, offers a clue to the painting’s meaning. Typically, artists painted on canvas or wood panel. But here, Elsheimer chose a thin sheet of copper, most likely mined and smelted in Central Europe. Its smooth, reflective surface allows for incredible detail, and a luminous quality. This was a tricky material to master – the surface has to be perfectly prepared or the oil paint won’t adhere properly. You can imagine Elsheimer carefully layering the paint, building up the image bit by bit. And, the choice of copper surely wasn’t accidental. It lends a preciousness to the scene, emphasizing the spiritual significance of the saint’s solitary existence, and reminding us of the material's own origin in laborious extraction from the earth. Paying attention to materials and making helps us appreciate the full depth of this seemingly conventional religious scene.