Saint John the Baptist, Oil on Canvas, Bohemia/Austria, Second Half of the 18th Century

An exceptional oil painting capturing Saint John the Baptist in solitary prayer within a rugged natural setting, attributed to a Central European master of the late 18th century.

The composition exemplifies the refined classicism of the Bohemian and Austrian schools, employing sophisticated chiaroscuro to isolate the kneeling saint against a darkened landscape.

The figure's idealized proportions and camel hair vestments reflect period conventions, while the carefully rendered attributes—the inscribed scroll proclaiming "Ecce Agnus Dei" and the reed cross—establish the work's theological significance.

The painting's polished execution and stylistic vocabulary reveal the artistic currents flowing between Prague and Vienna, where Italian classical traditions merged with distinctive Central European sensibilities.

Oil on canvas, re-lined on wooden frame.

Dimensions: height 90cm, width 69cm.

A distinguished example of 18th-century religious painting from this culturally rich region.