Baptism of Christ

Around 1548 Paris Bordon left Venice for Milan and stayed about three years. Milan was ruled by Spain then, and its nobility wanted Venetian colour on their walls. He worked for at least three patrons in the city, among them Carlo da Rho, lord of Borghetto Lodigiano, a fief south-east of Milan, and this canvas was probably painted for him along with several others. It is broad rather than tall, about two metres across, made for a room in a house rather than for an altar. Christ stands in the water of the Jordan with John the Baptist beside him, the grouping calm and held still, with none of the twisting movement Bordon liked as a younger painter. Several more versions of it in his own hand are known today.