Scenes from the Life of Saint John the Baptist

Francesco Granacci painted these scenes from the life of Saint John the Baptist around 1506-7, a period when he was one of the most active painters in Florence. A childhood friend of Michelangelo — both trained in Ghirlandaio's workshop — Granacci developed a graceful, narrative style influenced by Ghirlandaio, Filippino Lippi, and the young Raphael. This panel demonstrates the multi-scene narrative format popular for predella panels and cassone paintings in Renaissance Florence.

Granacci's mixed technique of tempera, oil, and gold on wood achieves a luminous surface quality with precise architectural settings. His compositional skill is evident in the clear spatial organization of multiple episodes within a continuous landscape.