Who painted The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist?

The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist was painted by Rosso Fiorentino in 1521.

Where can I see The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist?

The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist is held by Walters Art Museum.

What movement is The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist?

The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist is associated with Mannerism.

Can I buy a print of The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist?

Museum-quality prints of The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist

Rosso Fiorentino , 1521

The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Rosso Fiorentino. It dates from 1521 and is held in the collection of the Walters Art Museum. The painting titled *Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist* is an oil work on wooden panel dating to around 1521.

About this work

Overview

The painting titled *Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist* is an oil work on wooden panel dating to around 1521. Executed by the Florentine painter Rosso Fiorentino, it remains incomplete, offering a glimpse into the artist’s process. Today the piece belongs to the collection of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore.

Subject & Meaning

The composition brings together the Virgin Mary, the infant Christ, and a young John the Baptist, a grouping common in Renaissance devotional art. The figures are arranged in an intimate setting, emphasizing familial bonds and the prophetic connection between Christ and his future baptizer.

Technique & Style

Rendered in oil, the work displays Fiorentino’s early Mannerist tendencies, with elongated forms and a heightened emotional tone. The unfinished areas reveal underdrawings and a looser handling of paint, allowing viewers to observe the artist’s method of building volume and light on the panel.

History & Provenance

Created during Fiorentino’s initial period in Volterra, the painting reflects his relocation from Florence and his adaptation to new patronage. After remaining in private hands for centuries, it entered the Walters Art Museum’s collection, where it has been conserved and displayed as part of the museum’s Renaissance holdings.

Context

The early 1520s marked a transitional phase for Rosso Fiorentino, as he moved toward the more expressive, mannered style that would define his later works. This piece, situated within that formative moment, illustrates his engagement with traditional religious subjects while experimenting with compositional dynamism.