The Preaching of St John the Baptist (detail)

Rather as some figures in the crowd attend less to the preacher than to people nearby, the viewer’s glance is drawn to secondary figures, especially the spectacularly plumed soldier in the centre of the painting. Only a firsthand inspection of the painting allows one to appreciate the variety of intriguing individuals who surround John the Baptist. Figures mounted on camels, horses, and donkeys represent different social stations; women range from apparent princesses to impoverished peasants.

The Preaching of St John had been a popular subject in Netherlandish art since the time of Joachim Patenier. The inclusion of exotically dressed characters in outdoor preaching scenes was common from at least the time of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, whose The Sermon of St John the Baptist was known through many versions by his sons.