Scenes from the Life of Saint John the Baptist

Francesco Granacci painted Scenes from the Life of Saint John the Baptist around 1506. A lifelong friend and contemporary of Michelangelo from their shared apprenticeship in Ghirlandaio's workshop, Granacci developed a more lyrical, narrative style. His multi-scene compositions were valued for their clarity and decorative appeal. The tempera medium required careful preparation on a gessoed panel and a disciplined layering technique that produced precise, durable surfaces suited to the intricate detail expected of devotional painting.

Oil on panel with bright, clear colors and well-organized narrative staging. Granacci's figures show the influence of Ghirlandaio's workshop training combined with a softer modeling derived from Leonardo and Raphael.