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Europe

| The young St John the Baptist wearing the red tabard of the Order of St John |

Mattia Preti (1613-1699)

The young St John the Baptist wearing the red tabard of the Order of St John

Artist
Mattia Preti (1613-1699)
Date
1670s
Size
130 x 95 cm
Technique
Oil on canvas
Location
Europe Gallery – Mattia Preti: An Italian Artist in Malta
This is the work of ‘Il Cavaliere Calabrese,’ Mattia Preti, who took Malta’s art scene by storm during his residence on the island from the 1660s to 1699. He introduced the Italian Baroque style to the Maltese islands which determined artistic developments in the 18th century. The lamb, the cross bearing the ‘Ecce Agnus Dei’ scroll and the camel-skin robe are all symbolic attributes that identify the figure as Saint John the Baptist. The fact that he wears the tabard with the white cross against a red background confirms the role of the Baptist as the patron saint of the Order. This painting is actually a self-portrait by Preti. He represents himself as the patron saint of the Order he himself was a member of to declare that this prestigious status redeemed a personal stigma his family name suffered in his younger past.

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