Caravaggio | St John the Baptist at the Well, 1608

St. John the Baptist at the Well (also known as St. John the Baptist at the Fountain) is a painting attributed to Caravaggio, dated to 1608.

It belongs to the artist's late period, specifically during his time in Malta.

It is part of the Collezione Bonello in Valletta, Malta. Another version with similar themes is held at the Museo Tesoro Catedralicio in Toledo, Spain.

Caravaggio painted multiple depictions of John the Baptist, including "John the Baptist in the Wilderness" (also known as "St. John the Baptist at the Well").

This particular painting is known for its stark realism, dramatic use of light and shadow (chiaroscuro), and the absence of traditional attributes like a halo or a lamb.

Instead, Caravaggio focuses on the brooding intensity and emotional state of the young John, depicted as a solitary figure in a shadowed landscape.

The painting differs stylistically from Caravaggio's earlier, more sensual depictions of the saint (such as the 1602 version in Rome):

Composition: It depicts a young John the Baptist drinking or leaning over a fountain/well, a departure from his more common portrayals in the wilderness with a ram.

Symbolism: The painting often includes the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) inscription on a banner wound around a staff on the ground.

Late Style: It features the muted colors, rapid brushwork, and somber, "classicist" composition typical of Caravaggio's Maltese and Sicilian years (1607-1609).

Il dipinto intitolato San Giovanni Battista alla sorgente (noto anche come San Giovanni Battista alla fonte), attribuito a Caravaggio e datato circa 1608, è un'opera avvolta da un lungo dibattito critico riguardante la sua autografia.

Questo dipinto risale al periodo in cui Caravaggio si trovava a Malta per sfuggire a una condanna a morte a Roma.

Raffigura il giovane Santo seduto accanto a una fonte d'acqua, un tema che Caravaggio affrontò diverse volte con varianti significative (come le versioni conservate a Roma).