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Christ stands in the centre of the river Jordan, naked but for a transparent loin cloth. He gazes directly at us, making a blessing gesture with the fingers of his right hand. The ease and stillness of Christ’s pose reinforces his majesty and authority in the centre of a scene full of movement. Saint John the Baptist reaches up on to his tiptoes to baptise him, pouring the river water over his head from a wooden bowl.
In the sky above, God the Father appears in the clouds, dispatching the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove towards Christ. Two angels on the left river bank look on – one holds a blue cloth with a gilded edge, ready to dry Christ.
Title
The Baptism of Christ: Main Tier Central Panel
Date
1387
Medium
Egg tempera on wood
Measurements
H 160 x W 76 cm
Accession number
NG579.1
Acquisition method
Bought, 1857
Work type
Painting
The National Gallery, London
Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England
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