The Infant Christ and St John the Baptist

The Infant Christ and Saint John the Baptist from 1501 is an early devotional work by Bernardino Luini depicting the meeting of the Christ Child and young John the Baptist. This popular subject in Italian Renaissance art emphasized the friendship between the two holy children and their future roles in salvation history. Characteristic of the artist's mature approach, the work displays Leonardesque sfumato and gentle modeling, serene Madonna types with downcast eyes, soft transitions of light and shade, lyrical landscape backgrounds.

The two children are rendered with the sweet, soft characterization that would become Luini's hallmark, with gentle modeling creating an atmosphere of innocent tenderness.