Elizabeth kneels to support her praying son, John the Baptist, while his father Zacharias offers Jesus an apple branch. This act symbolizes Jesus's role in Christian tradition as the savior, sacrificing himself to redeem humanity from Adam and Eve's sin. Dynamic poses, sinuous curves, and bold contrasts of color are characteristics often associated with Rubens and his studio. This painting may have been completed by the artist's students as a record of the composition of an earlier altarpiece.
Credit: Acquired by Sterling and Francine Clark before 1955
c. 1632
Oil on panel
42.1 x 38.0in
1955.950
Image and text © The Clark Art Institute, 2023
Where you'll find this
The Clark
Permanent collection