Master of Jan Vicente or Master of San Julián

MASTER OF JAN VICENTE or MASTER OF SAN JULIAN (Active in Aragon in the XVth century)
"St. John the Baptist".
Oil on panel. Cradled.
Attached report issued by Doña Isabel Mateo.
Measurements: 110 x 62 cm; 127 x 73 cm (frame).
The saint appears in the center of the composition with his characteristic attributes, barefoot and wearing the usual camel skin that is barely visible due to the sumptuous tunic that is superimposed on his body. He holds a book on which rests a lamb adorned with a nimbus, while with his right hand he points to the representation of the Agnus Dei or mystical lamb. Inscribed in an interior open to a powdered sky, the saint covers the whole of the work highlighting its anatomical monumentality of realistic character, although it should be noted that this retains some gothic distortion that is especially noticeable in the arm. The work stands out stylistically by the coexistence between an aesthetic of Gothic heritage and new stylistic precepts of Renaissance character that are appreciated both in the architecture of refined forms and the verism of the face of the saint. The Gospels say of John the Baptist that he was the son of the priest Zechariah and Elizabeth, cousin of the Virgin Mary. He retired very young to the desert of Judea to lead an ascetic life and preach penance, and recognized in Jesus, who was baptized by him, the Messiah announced by the prophets. A year after the baptism of Christ, in the year 29, John was arrested and imprisoned by the tetrarch of Galilee Herod Antipas, whose marriage to Herodias, his niece and sister-in-law, he had dared to censure. Finally, St. John was beheaded, and his head given to Salome as a reward for his beautiful dances.
During the 15th century, the influence of the Flemish school of painting was key in the development of European art, especially in Spain, which was linked to the Netherlands by political and economic ties. At that time, Flemish painters established a stylistic model based on the search for reality, focusing on capturing the qualities of objects, giving special importance to secondary details and using a smooth and draftsmanlike technique. In the 16th century, as a result of the introduction of the novelties of the Italian Renaissance, the Flemish style evolved towards a more classical and sculptural sense, while retaining its own characteristics.
In the Aragonese school of the late 15th-early 16th century, the Italian influence arrived first in its primitive form, with the works of the Quattrocento, and soon gave way to the contemporary Mannerist influences. This century saw the transition between the Flemish-influenced language and the new Italianate style, which left behind the rich and detailed sense of the Hispano-Flemish language. However, this arrival of new styles will not be uniform throughout Spain; on the Mediterranean coast these influences will arrive earlier thanks to the link between the crown of Aragon and Italy. On the other hand, in Castile and the interior of the Peninsula, the Flemish and late Gothic influences survived, largely driven by the Catholic Monarchs and by a clientele still attached to the old forms.