John the Baptist
Oil on Canvas, 24x36in, 2023
This painting by Ryan J. Flynn depicts Saint John the Baptist, one of the patron saints of Freemasonry, of which the artist is a member. The artist gifted this work, as well as a portrait of Saint John the Evangelist to his home Lodge, Ancient York No. 89 in Nashua, New Hampshire, where it hangs today.
The work depicts John the Baptist as he sees the approaching Jesus, with a look of admiration and awe on his face, he awaits the moment when he will baptize him. John is wearing his traditional camel hair garment, draped with red drapery, symbolic of his eventual martyrdom. Behind him, we see a hint of the River Jordan and the reeds lining its shores.