The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist

In the pictureThe wide horizontal picture is divided into two rooms. In the left room a woman lies in a bed hung with white curtains, and in front of her an old man writes on a tablet resting on his knees. In the right room, women in red hold the baby and prepare to bathe him. The red of the columns and floor and a gilded frame surround the picture.

BackgroundThis is the story of the birth of John the Baptist. His father Zacharias lost his speech because he did not believe the angel's words, and he is said to have spoken again after writing "John" on a tablet once the child was born. Sano di Pietro was the painter who received the most commissions in 15th-century Siena, and this painting is one of several scenes set in the lower strip (the predella) of a large altarpiece. By placing two rooms side by side, he fit the passage of time into a single picture.

Puzzle tipBecause the picture is wide, the pieces come out wide and short. Gather the white curtain and bed pieces, the red floor pieces and the gilded frame pieces separately, and divide the two rooms with the vertical line of the central column. The faces are small, but the gold circles of the halos show where they go.