The painting is a copy of a work by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, executed by his son in the early 17th century. It is painted in oil on panel, horizontal in format, measuring 101 cm in height and 167.5 cm in width.

It depicts a crowd gathered in a forest clearing. In the lower part of the composition, the listeners are shown from behind. Viewing the painting, we feel as though we ourselves are part of the crowd. In the distance, a river winds through the landscape.

On the horizon, rocky peaks and a castle appear faintly. The elements of the landscape and the clothing of the assembled people form a colourful mosaic. The preacher, John the Baptist, stands in the background, directly facing us. He does not stand out in any obvious way; he is surrounded on all sides by people, some seated, others standing close to him. Only after a moment do we notice that their attention is focused on John.

John the Baptist is depicted as a man in his prime. Brown hair falls onto his shoulders, and his broad face is covered with a long brown beard. He wears a simple garment made of coarse brown, hairy fabric. He speaks while gesturing: his right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing, and with his left he points toward a man in a blue robe—this is Jesus.

The crowd watches the preacher intently. About two hundred attentive listeners sit on the ground; some stand. Three men have climbed nearby trees.

The striking variety of garments stands out: red, blue, yellow, brown, navy, beige. The clothing styles belong to the 17th century, the artist’s own time. Some wear simple dresses and jackets, others elaborate gowns with puffed sleeves, wide trousers, and sabres at their sides. One man wears a turban, another a conical Chinese-style hat. Light and shadow model the folds of the garments, though the fabric texture appears uniform throughout.

In the foreground on the left grows the trunk of a tree, extending the full height of the painting. Its rough bark is rendered with great precision.

In the upper right corner, through an opening between the trees, we see a view of the landscape. A blue river curves picturesquely through a wooded area. On the bank is a barely visible small group of people; one stands in the water, supported by another person. A baptism has evidently just taken place in the river.

Beyond this rises a castle surrounded by a tall reddish wall. On the horizon stand steep, rocky mountains.

The 16th-century clothing of the diverse crowd indicates that this biblical subject, drawn from the Gospel of Luke (3:1–7), served as a pretext for depicting an event contemporary to the painter: a secret religious gathering during a period of intolerance toward Protestants in the Catholic, Habsburg-controlled Netherlands.

Audio description consultation: Adrian Wyka
Content consultation: Miłosz Kargol