Bust of a Youth (Saint John the Baptist)

This work might appear to be a portrait, but the costume and expression indicate that it represents a mythological or biblical figure. The young man is shown in the act of speaking, his mouth open as if caught mid-sentence. This detail suggests that the figure is likely Saint John the Baptist; one of his roles was that of a preacher who foretold the coming of Jesus Christ. The dramatic turn of the youth’s head suggests that he is addressing an unseen conversant, a dynamic and inventive means of engaging with the viewer. The sculpture’s small scale indicates that it was likely made for private contemplation.

The figure’s deeply carved corkscrew curls, soft skin, and parted lips are all characteristic of the sculptor Francesco Mochi, whose work is notable for its energetic lines, dramatic movement, and subtle psychology. One of the most talented and individual sculptors in seventeenth-century Rome, Mochi possessed an extraordinary technical aptitude both in carving marble and in depicting carefully nuanced expression in his figures.