The artwork “Baptism of Christ,” created by Andrei Rublev around 1405, is a panel painting rendered in tempera. As part of the Moscow school of icon painting within the Byzantine art movement, this religious icon is one of the series of paintings commissioned for the Annunciation Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. The piece, measuring 81 by 62 centimeters, is currently housed in the Cathedral of the Annunciation, located in Moscow, Russia.
The artwork depicts the moment of Christ’s baptism with a central figure standing in a river, presented in a humble and reflective posture. Surrounding this figure are other significant characters, arranged to convey reverence and divine presence. The use of tempera on panel results in a delicate, ethereal quality typical of Byzantine iconography, emphasizing spiritual solemnity. The background features a muted palette of golds and greens, likely representing an abstracted natural setting. The halos adorning the figures’ heads are indicative of their holy nature, and the composition underscores the sanctity and significance of the depicted religious event.
