Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (?), St. John the Baptist (c. 1598), Basel.

The attribution of the Basel St. John the Baptist as a work of Caravaggio is not unanimous. There is a question of the inclusion of the roses the young saint holds as being traditional of the Counter Reformation. However, the diagonal/counter-diagonal composition, the deep chiaroscuro, the ruddy cheeks, sunburned neck and hands of this genre model, as well as the attention to detail are hallmarks of Caravaggio’s style. The single, notable difference between this St. John the Baptist and his later versions is in the fact that the robe is not red.

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (?), St. John the Baptist (c. 1598),Toledo.

As with the Basel St. John the Baptist, the attribution of the St. John the Baptist of Toledo is also not unanimous. The light value of the whole is much higher than the other works of Caravaggio, particularly in the upper left quadrant. But, his attention to detail and the employment of diagonals and counter-diagonals point to Caravaggio.