A portrait of John the Baptist

I am currently in the process of editing the post-graduate work I did on John the Baptist in preparation for publication. I thought you might be interested in this piece I wrote in the section about the Baptist's iconography: 

There is probably no better example of the iconography of John the Baptist as it is depicted in the western tradition than an anonymous portrait dating from c.1680. This painting depicts Philippe d’Orléans, the brother of Louis XIV, as John the Baptist. Although the portrait is that of a prince, it nevertheless contains more John the Baptist symbolism than any other image of the saint. As such, it is well worth a close study. While the portrait is of Monsieur, its subject shall continue to be referred to as John the Baptist.

   John sits in front of a tree in a lush landscape. The tree is that at whose roots the axe is poised (Q 3.9). A deciduous tree, as this one appears to be, symbolises the world in constant renewal and regeneration. That is to say, ‘dying in order to live’, as in resurrection. John, as a saint and martyr, would be resurrected in the last days. It is possible that the tree also signifies the Tree of Knowledge, which was the reason for the Fall and the need for redemption.

   The grass upon which John sits represents submission. The lamb, as has been noted, represents the Lamb of God, Christ, who died for the sins of the world (Jn 1.29). However, the lamb can also represent the redeemed Christian, probably from Lk. 15.3-7, in which the Good Shepherd seeks the lost sheep, representing the penitent returned to the fold. John could be seen as a redeemed Christian, in that this Jewish apocalyptic preacher has been transformed into the messenger of God and the herald of Christ. John’s mantle is a symbol of refuge and safety for humanity. His baptism sheltered the repentant from the wrath of God. It also identifies John with Elijah, who wore a mantle (2 Kings 2.8). The mantle can also signify ‘concealment, mystery, power, and a particular role’. This recalls an interesting ‘concealment tradition’ surrounding John, which is based upon his association with Elijah and is an expression of his status as forerunner to Christ.

   This symbolism applies to John in several ways. Following his arrest, he was concealed in prison. He is mysterious because nothing is known about him from his leaving his parental home (Lk. 1.80) to his re-emergence from the wilderness (Mk 1.1.4 and par.), in fact another concealment. In Mark especially, John mysteriously appears. John is powerful because his ministry attracted many (Mk 1.5), even Christ himself (Mk 1.9). His particular role was as forerunner to Christ. John’s mantle is red with brown fur edging. In Christian art, red represents Christ’s passion and the blood shed upon Calvary. Appropriate to John are its attributes of zeal, faith, power, especially priestly power, and intrepidity. It is the colour of martyrdom and cruelty. It is also the colour of blood, a reminder of John’s sanguinary end. Brown signifies spiritual death as encountered in the monastic world. John is an important model for monks. The colour also represents renunciation. John renounced his birthright to follow in his father’s footsteps in the Temple. He renounced the world in favour of a strict asceticism. His questions to Jesus from prison might be interpreted as a renunciation of faith. Brown also signifies penitence, which John demanded from others as well as himself. It represents degradation, and is appropriate due to John’s ignoble death, but also his will that Jesus should increase, while he should decrease (Jn 3.30). The fur alludes to John’s desert camel hair clothing. As a symbol of repentance, it represents also the garments God made for Adam and Eve upon their expulsion from Paradise (Gen. 3.21).

   In the background lies a city, probably representing Jerusalem. The staff carried by John represents the staff of pilgrimage and is an emblem of John. Here, the staff is topped by a cross, which represents the acceptance of death or suffering and sacrifice, and salvation. John’s death is, of course, accepted in Christian tradition as a sacrifice, and that led to his martyrdom. Rather than being made of reed, the staff held by John in this representation is golden. Gold signifies the sun, which is fitting for John, one of whose feast days coincides wit the pagan sun festival of Midsummer. It also stands for enlightenment and immortality. John enlightened the people to Jesus’ coming, and his immortality is assured due to his sainthood.

   Coiled round John’s staff is a snake or serpent. This creature ties in with John’s Q sermon, in which he addresses some of his hearers as ‘you brood of vipers’ (3.7). However, the serpent wound round a cross, as here, signifies Christ. Its origins lie in Num. 21.8, wherein God tells Moses to put a serpent (or snake) onto a pole to heal the suffering Children of Israel. Its connection with Christ is made in Jn 3.14: ‘just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of man must be lifted up’. The serpent is blue in colour, signifying heaven and heavenly truth, as well as faith and eternity. Especially apt for the Baptist, blue represents baptism in water in the Gnostic tradition. The Mandaeans, a Gnostic sect for whom baptism is of paramount importance, claim to be the descendants of John’s original disciples. Conversely, for much of their existence, the Gnostic Cathars rejected John as an evil spirit or an emissary of the devil, and saw his water rite as corrupting.

   Water flows from John’s cross, a reminder of his baptism in living waters. Water also signifies regeneration, since water is the basis of life. It also represents purification, as in baptism, as inspired by Ps. 51.2, ‘wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin’. Lastly, John holds a book. This represents the teaching of the nations by the Apostles (Mt. 28.18), the Gospels. It can also signify the two testaments; the old law or Torah, having passed away, and the birth of the new law of Christ, signifying the new age.

   As can be seen, this portrait of Monsieur as John the Baptist contains a very high proportion of symbolism related to John. Ironically, this image, while displaying a remarkable knowledge of John’s iconography on the part of its anonymous artist, was nevertheless intended to flatter the prince rather than to venerate the saint.