The Young Saint John the Baptist

Giovanni Francesco Susini

National Gallery of Art

This sculpture depicts a young male figure in a seated pose, with his body facing right and his head turned over his shoulder towards the left. He is wearing a draped garment that covers one shoulder and goes behind his back, leaving the other shoulder bare. The fabric pools in his lap and is tied by a string across his chest. The young man has curly hair and a straight nose, and he wears a neutral expression. He appears to hold a stone or round object in one hand, which he rests on the opposite knee. He seems to sit on a rock or tree stump, and beside him on the right is a small lamb that looks off to the right. Below his feet is a small area of ground with some small rocks and flowers. The sculpture is made out of a white material with some gray marbling.