Skip to main content

Secondary sourcePainting

John the Baptist Meets Jesus Christ

Antonio Pollaiuolo

An engraving showing the meeting of John the Baptist and Jesus, copied after a Renaissance work by Antonio Pollaiuolo.

Depicts Jesus meeting John the Baptist, a key Gospel scene marking the start of his public ministry.

Ask Jesus Christ about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Sepia engraving of two bearded figures on a tan background. On the left, a hairy, partly nude man with a staff and animal-skin garment stands barefoot. On the right, a robed bearded man gestures with one hand. Below is a caption reading Antonio Pollaiuolo, born at Florence 1428, was disciple of Andrea del Castagno.
Aquatint with etching after Antonio Pollaiuolo, John the Baptist meets Jesus Christ. Wellcome Collection.

About this source

What it is

This aquatint and etching reproduces a composition attributed to the Renaissance Florentine artist Antonio Pollaiuolo, showing John the Baptist meeting Jesus. It is held by the Wellcome Collection and includes a caption noting Pollaiuolo's training under Andrea del Castagno.

Why it matters

The scene comes from the Gospels, where John the Baptist recognises Jesus at the start of his public ministry. This print shows how later artists and printmakers kept reproducing Renaissance religious art, spreading these biblical scenes far beyond the original paintings and into homes, books and collections.

Look closer

  • How does the artist use clothing and gesture to tell us who is who in the scene?
  • Why do you think this print was made after Pollaiuolo's original work rather than being an original composition?
  • What is left out of the image that you might expect from the Gospel story?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Jesus Christ on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Jesus Christ sources

Meet the AI Jesus Christ →
Scanned page of a printed book in Arabic-script text with a decorative title ornament reading Injil Marqus, and a section heading below. The text is in columns of right-to-left lines with verse numbers 1 to 7 along the right margin, enclosed in a double-ruled frame on yellowed paper.Book

Secondary source

Gospel of Mark

Mark the Evangelist · c. AD 66-75

Black and white woodcut print of a bearded man with long hair and a robe, shown in an oval frame with a Latin inscription and ornate decorative corners. The Latin text includes Psalm 44 wording about grace and beauty.Artifact

Secondary source

Jesus Christ, woodcut by Christoffel van Sichem III

Christoffel van Sichem III · c. 1645

Photograph of a small fragment of ancient papyrus with brown fibrous texture and irregular torn edges, bearing several lines of dark Greek uncial script. A metric ruler labeled inches is at the left edge against a plain white background.Book

Secondary source

Gospel of Matthew

Matthew the Apostle · late 1st century AD

Black-and-white stipple engraving of a bearded man with long curly hair and a halo, gazing upward, one hand raised, the other holding a loaf of bread over a table with a chalice and plate. Titled Salvator Mundi; inscribed painted by Carlo Dolci, engraved by Anth. Cardon, published at Windsor by W. Hopkins, June 4th 1811.Painting

Secondary source

Jesus Christ blessing the Host

Carlo Dolci (painting); Anth. Cardon (engraving) · 4 June 1811

Photograph of a fragmentary papyrus leaf with closely written brown Greek text in many lines, on a dark blue background. The edges are torn and ragged, with several separate sections joined across the image.Book

Secondary source

Gospel of Luke

Luke the Evangelist · c. AD 85

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Jesus Christ now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions