Saint John the Baptist in the desert, an oil painting on canvas from the 17th century. The face and torso of Saint John emerge dramatically from the darkness. The grazing and intense light that illuminates only some portions of the body accentuates the realism and creates a strong emotional impact. The saint's body, although not idealized, is treated with great anatomical attention. The limbs have a realistic weight, and the pose appears natural and contemplative. The gaze is directed downwards, absorbed, marked by an emotional realism, with a strong expression of introspection and spirituality. The spiritual introspection, the use of dramatic chiaroscuro, and the absence of classical idealization are key elements that lead back to the Italian naturalist Baroque and, in particular, to the Neapolitan Caravaggesque movement of the first quarter of the 17th century. The artwork is an emblematic example of the diffusion of the Caravaggesque language in early 17th-century Naples. Although not autograph, the painting is of significant historical-artistic interest due to its adherence to the Battistellian model (Giovan Battista Caracciolo 1578-1635) and the quality of the light and emotional rendering. CM.44X32 WITHOUT FRAME CM.66X56 WITH FRAME