The Youthful Saint John the Baptist Seated in a Landscape
1655
Murillo captures a tender moment with the young Saint John the Baptist, who sits casually in a landscape cradling a lamb—his traditional symbol representing Christ. The loose, energetic pen strokes reveal the artist's quick hand, sketching out ideas with a freedom that feels almost modern compared to his polished oil paintings. You can almost see the boy's curly hair bouncing as he holds his reed cross, a humble shepherd's staff transformed into a holy symbol. This drawing shows us the master at work, finding the humanity in a sacred figure before committing it to canvas.
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