Saint John the Baptist
c. 1475-1485
Step into a 15th-century illusion with this clever piece by Dieric Bouts. At first glance, you might think you're looking at a carved stone statue of Saint John the Baptist tucked into an architectural niche, but it's actually a painting! Bouts used a technique called grisaille—painting entirely in shades of grey—to mimic the look of sculpture perfectly. The saint holds a lamb on a platter, symbolizing Jesus as the 'Lamb of God,' while pointing a finger as if to say, 'Behold!' It's a masterful trick of the eye from the Northern Renaissance that blurs the line between painting and sculpture.
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