Designed by Jean Baptist I Lemoyne (1679-1731) and executed and finished by Jean-Baptist I| Lemoyne (1704-1778), The Baptism of Christ, 1731, Marble sculpture, 206 x 196 cm, Church of Saint-Roch, Paris
Commissioned in 1719 for the Church of Saint-Jean-en-Grève in Paris, which was demolished between 1797 and 1800, the sculpture was completed only in 1731. This work marked the beginning of Lemoyne’s public career, a project offered to him after his uncle’s death left it unfinished. “The Baptism of Christ” is notable as one of Lemoyne’s few large-scale works to remain intact; most of his other significant works have been destroyed in the aftermath of the Revolution.
The sculpture’s remarkable quality lies in its vivid and dynamic portrayal of a fleeting, emotional moment. It effectively freezes the action in expressive detail—from the water cascading onto Christ’s head to the vivid expressions of the figures, capturing St. John in a state of overwhelming emotion.
The iconography in “The Baptism of Christ” aligns with the biblical description found in Matthew 3:15-17. In this passage, Jesus approaches John the Baptist and explains that he must be baptised ‘to fulfil all righteousness.’ John the Baptist, the precursor, prepares for the messianic arrival of Jesus. The composition captures John’s initial hesitation and subsequent awe at Jesus’s humility, symbolising his acceptance. After his baptism, the heavens open, the Spirit of God descends like a dove, and a voice from heaven declares Jesus as the beloved Son, expressing divine pleasure in him.
This scriptural moment, captured in Lemoyne’s marble, is pivotal as it marks the public beginning of Jesus’ ministry and God’s confirmation of His sonship and mission. The sculpture vividly embodies this scene, emphasising the divine approval and the miraculous aspects of the event, as described in the verses from Matthew’s Gospel.