Saint John the Baptist

Cherubino Alberti after Michelangelo

National Gallery of Art

This image shows a bearded man standing in a contrapposto position with most of his body weight on one foot. He is turned slightly to his left, displaying his muscular physique. The man has short, wavy hair and a thoughtful expression on his face. He is unclothed, except for a piece of cloth or drapery covering his modesty that hangs from his right arm and around his waist. The man is surrounded by an ornate oval frame decorated with scrolls and cherubs. The cherubs on either side hold scrolls and fabric that embellish the frame. A banner at the top reads "NVDA VERITAS," and there are additional floral, scroll motifs, and a lion-like face at the bottom of the frame. The background features a cross-hatched pattern.