The Sermon of John the Baptist 1598

Adam Elsheimer's "The Sermon of John the Baptist" (1598) depicts a nighttime scene with a group of people gathered in a dense forest, listening to John the Baptist preach. The painting's focus is on the interplay of light and shadow, highlighting the figures in the foreground. Elsheimer's mastery of chiaroscuro, a technique that utilizes strong contrasts between light and dark areas, gives the scene a sense of drama and mystery. "The Sermon of John the Baptist" exemplifies Elsheimer's signature style of landscape painting, which often depicts biblical scenes in natural settings.