Saint John the Baptist

The choice of this picture as a pendant to The Light of the World is evidence of the care and intelligence given to the hang in this collection. Executed between 1847 and 1852 the picture is full of Pre-Raphaelite detail. Indeed, like Hunt, Herbert is known to have visited the Holy Land to observe the landscape at first hand. A keen admirer of Pugin, it was through his influence that Herbert converted to Catholicism in 1840. Thereafter he painted religious subjects, particularly scenes from the life of Christ. His style shows an awareness of the work of William Dyce, and the Nazarenes.
The picture belonged to Arthur Grogan, saviour of the Arts and Crafts suburb of Bedford Park in West London, whose collection now furnishes Standen, Philip Webb’s masterpiece in East Sussex (National Trust). Many pieces in Peter and Albert’s collection carry Grogan provenance.