3-102-277 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

'John the Baptist Preaching', 1637-1650, (1967). Biblical scene: John, preaching about the future Redeemer, is shown in the brightest light. But many of the surrounding figures take no notice of him: we see children at play, a boy restrained by a maidservant, dogs mating, gypsies sitting impassively, and Pharisees conversing. The spectators include savages and Turks. In about 1650 Rembrandt enlarged the picture and it thus consists of two parts - the earlier, central section, and the later additions around it. The central section extends up to Caesar's head on the obelisk and cuts through the group of Pharisees. Painting in the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin. From "Rembrandt" by Ludwig Münz and Bob Haak, [Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, 1967]