The correct way of depicting the “Baptism of Christ”
Year mention: 1649
Subject:
Baptism of Christ
Conflict:
Agent:
Pacheco, Francisco
Jeronimo Nadal, Baptism of Christ, plate 11 from Evangelicae and Adnotationes (1593), which engravings illustrate the Biblia Natalis
Internet archive (original from Getty Research Institute)

Pacheco states in this passage how should be depicted the scene of “Baptism of Christ”. Also, he mentions the image made by Jeronimo Nadal as a good model to be followed, although the author comments on the necessity to be added a few more elements to the scene.

“In this sacred story, I add to the common painting, following Fr. Jerónimo Nadal or, to put it better, to the text of the Evangelists, putting St. John the Baptist baptizing Christ, after having known him by divine revelation, as it is customary to paint, inside the Jordan River, dressed, as it will be said in his painting, kneeling on a rock and many people who accompany the shore, who come to be baptized by his hand. A modern author says that strictly speaking, the ancient way of baptizing was by immersing the baptized person in the waters; which I neither contradict nor follow. What I add: near the shore, Cristo Our Lord dressed in his tunic and mantle, kneeling in prayer and the Eternal Father in heaven, under a transparent light and a ray of it that comes directed to Christ, where it signifies that the voice of the Father and the Holy Spirit sounds in the form of a dove above his head and St. John may be behind Christ, also on his knees in prayer; and although Fr. Nadal puts this as the main one in this story and the baptism further apart, can this attempt be exchanged, painting the baptism as the main one and the two figures of knuckles, Mah somewhat smaller and further apart.”

“En esta sagrada historia añado a la común pintura, siguiendo al P. Gerónimo Nadal o, por decir mejor, al texto de los Evangelistas, el poner a San Juan Baptista baptizando a Cristo, después de habello conocido por divina revelación, como se suele pintar, dentro del río Jordán, vestido, como se dirå en su pintura, arrodillado sobre una peña y muncha gente que acompaña la ribera, que vienen a ser baptizados por su mano. Dice un autor moderno que en rigor el modo antiguo de baptizar era sumergiendo al baptizado en las aguas; lo cual ni lo contradigo ni sigo. Lo que Yo añado: cerca de la orilla, a Cristo Nuestro Señor vestido con su túnica y manto, puesto de rodillas en oración y el Padre Eterno en el cielo, debaxo de una luz transparente y un rayo della que viene encaminado a Cristo, donde se sinifica que suena la voz del Padre y el Espíritu Santo en forma de paloma sobre su cabeza y puede estar San Juan detrás de Cristo, también de rodillas en oración; y aunque pone esto el P. Nadal por principal en esta historia y el baptismo más apartado, se puede trocar este intento, pintado el baptismo por principal y las dos figuras de rudillas, algo más pequeñas y apartadas.”

Quoted Authorities

Bible, New Testament, Luke, 3, 21-22 and Mathew, 3, 16-17
Luis de Granada, Obras Completas (17th Century), II, 164-165
Alonso Osorio, Tratados de Erudicion (17th Century), 266v-267r

Model to follow

Jeronimo Nadal, Evangelicae Historiae Imagines (1593),plate 11, fig. 67

Keywords
· head, adult, baptizing, Christ, Holy Ghost, John the Baptist (St.), Jordan (river), New Testament, pouring, river, Trinity, water

Date mention
1649

Historical Location
Antwerp

Iconclass Number
73C121

Source
Pacheco, El Arte de la pintura (1649), book 3, ch.13, 632-633
Literature

Pacheco 1990, 633, n.2;

Permanent Link
https://www.sacrima.eu/case/the-correct-way-of-depicting-the-baptism-of-christ/