Saint John the Baptist (left)

The Master of the Legend of Saint Lucy painted this Saint John the Baptist around 1500 in Bruges. The Baptist's gaunt features and animal-skin garments contrasted with the Master's usually ethereal, graceful style. This demonstrates the range of the anonymous master's devotional imagery. The tempera-on-panel medium required a carefully gessoed surface and was painted in fine, precise layers, yielding a luminous, jewel-like surface of great durability.

Oil on panel with the Master's refined Bruges technique and delicate coloring. The ascetic saint is rendered with careful attention to the contrast between his rough garments and the luminous landscape setting.