Flemish or Spanish school; c. 1600.

Flemish or Spanish school; c. 1600.
"The Baptism of Christ."
Oil on copper.
It has a period frame.
Measurements: 24.5 x 31.5 cm; 34 x 41 cm (frame).
This representation of the theme of the Baptism of Christ shows the figures in large size in the foreground, as was usual after the provisions of the Council of Trent that led the change of Roman Catholicism in the Counter-Reformation. To the left of the Redeemer, dressed in the typical unfinished leather in shades of brown and a red cloak, is Saint John the Baptist, pouring water over Christ. Above them, following an ascending line, are the dove of the Holy Spirit accompanied by angels, and, already in the river, Christ, dressed only in a purity cloth. His posture shows a gesture of great humility as he bows his head while holding his two hands clasped on his chest.
Iconographically, the theme of the Baptism of Christ is one of the oldest in Christian art because of its theological importance and the Sacrament that derives from it (which is why it has undergone variations that, on occasions, can be related to liturgical variations in the Sacrament of Baptism). As it is logical, it has varied according to the moment, the style and the school to which each work belongs.