The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 26, 2024
John the Baptist recognizes Christ by the appearance of a dove, from a Mirror of Holiness (Mir’at al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier
1602–4
(1569–1627)
Sheet: 26.3 x 15.7 cm (10 3/8 x 6 3/16 in.); Image: 22.5 x 10.9 cm (8 7/8 x 4 5/16 in.)
John L. Severance Fund 2005.145.50.b
Location: not on view
Did You Know?
Jesus holds a rosary with a cross even in scenes prior to his crucifixion.Description
This scene of John the Baptist’s recognition of Jesus is set in a lavishly decorated Mughal courtyard. The artist has closely followed Father Jerome’s text, which tells of the Holy Spirit taking the form of a dove that sits atop Jesus’s head, rather than the text of the Gospels, which describes the dove as hovering in the air. John wears the black robes of a Jesuit, garb that in the context of the Mughal court identifies him as a teacher. He points to an open book to acknowledge the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Messiah, and in recognition of the Word of God.- Before 1930s-2005An Indian family in Great Britain, whose grandfather brought the manuscript to England in the 1930s or 1940s through 20052005(Oliver Forge and Brendan Lynch Ltd., London, UK, 2005, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)2005-The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, 2005-present
- Prince Salim's Life of Christ (Manuscript Rotation) - Gallery 115. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (December 2, 2019-July 1, 2020).Art and Stories from Mughal India. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 31-October 23, 2016).
- {{cite web|title=John the Baptist recognizes Christ by the appearance of a dove, from a Mirror of Holiness (Mir’at al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier|url=false|author=|year=1602–4|access-date=26 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2005.145.50.b