The Baptism of Christ (detail)

The image of John the Baptist is the portion of this altarpiece that is most characteristic of Verrocchio’s personal style, and he probably painted it without the participation of his collaborators. An insistence on the anatomical attention to bones, muscles and tendons reflects Verrocchio’s interests, which he passed on to his pupils. The head is rendered almost academically, with the bones of the skull still implied, while the beard reveals a more naturalistic interest.