Saint John the Baptist

Florentine 15th Century, probably after a model by Desiderio da Settignano

National Gallery of Art

The sculpture is a detailed bust of a young man with pale skin and wavy brown hair that almost reaches to his shoulders, seen from the chest up. He has thin, arched eyebrows, a long, straight nose, and thin red lips that are partially open. A dark red and green cloth or cloak is draped over his shoulders and tied near his left arm, and it appears to cover a light brown garment with the texture of fur. The sculpture has no base.