The Birth of Saint John the Baptist

The Birth of Saint John the Baptist by the Master of Miraflores, one of several paintings from this anonymous Spanish master's cycle devoted to John, depicts the domestic scene of John's birth to the elderly Elizabeth, attended by women and nurses in a late medieval lying-in chamber. This subject — unusual in focusing on birth rather than martyrdom or preaching — reflects the comprehensive approach to saints' lives in late fifteenth-century altarpiece programs. The Master of Miraflores, associated with paintings at the Cartuja de Miraflores near Burgos, worked in a style combining Castilian tradition with strong Flemish influence.

The scene is set in a domestic interior with the lying-in bed at center, attendants busy around the newborn. The Master of Miraflores renders domestic textiles and interiors with Flemish observational care. Zechariah, struck dumb by the angel, may appear writing the child's name in the background.