Saint John the Baptist in the Desert 1791

Charles Clément Bervic's "Saint John the Baptist in the Desert" (1791), an engraving from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, depicts Saint John in a dramatic pose, his right hand raised, pointing towards the sky. Dressed in a simple garment of animal skin and holding a staff, John is presented as a hermit, his austere life reflected in the rugged landscape. Bervic captures the religious fervor and solitude of Saint John's life in the desert, using chiaroscuro to highlight John's muscular form against a backdrop of rocks and vegetation. This piece is a fine example of Neoclassical style engraving, popular in the late 18th century.