Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness

Mellan was one of the most creative and virtuoso engravers of the 17th century. The present work depicts a rather unusual Saint John the Baptist: not a rustic-looking hermit but a handsome and elegant youth, who is seated cross-legged, in a highly academic pose, while nonchalantly meditating in front of the Crucifix. His attribute of the lamb – Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi – is barely visible with its head behind the legs of John. The figure of the Saint is bathed in bright light from upper left. Mellan achieved an intense chiaroscuro effect by alternating blank areas with the sinuously modulated engraved lines so typical of his style. In this instance, he also made use of the etching technique to depict the foliage and landscape, thereby creating a vibrant natural backdrop for the sculptural body of the young Saint.