The piece of painting that is going to be analyzed in this paper is named as the Baptism of Christ. The artwork was painted with oil on wood by two highly recognized Italian Renaissance artists namely Andrea Del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci. This was the first and the only work of art which the two artists collaborated on and was the initial work through which Leonardo da Vinci would gain fame from.   This work of art is not just beautiful, but rather forms an integral part to the History of art due to the new technique of painting that was used to draw this picture; introduced by a youthful Leonardo. He introduced this method while working in Verrocchio’s workshop at around 1470 prior to the completion of this artwork at around 1475.   The painting commenced in the year 147 and took a time period of approximately three years to be fully completed.   The new method of painting that has been used in this painting by Leonardo is typical of a category referred to as the High Renaissance style. This is a style that was newly developing at this period in Florence.   Leonardo da Vinci later on familiarized this style and the fame might not have been brought about if it was not due to his participation in drawing this painting.

Andrea del Verrocchio was a goldsmith, sculptor, and painter who was running a successful and large workshop during the second half of the fifteenth century in Florence. Amongst his close associates and apprentices were painters Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Lorenzo di Credi and Botticini. During Verrocchio’s short life (1435-1488), he was recognized for the majority of the famous sculptures and paintings such as St. Thomas and Christ, but it is often believed that Verrocchio had reached the pinnacle of his career as an artist in his work especially after Baptism Of Christ. There was an inference that suggested that Verrocchio felt that he had been out painted by Leonardo Da Vinci upon the completion of this specific piece and had vowed that he shall never paint again.

Baptism Of Christ (c. 1472) was commissioned by the San Salvi monks near Florence. The picture depicts the baptism of Christ by John the Baptists as it is clearly recorded in the biblical accounts of Mark, Luke and Mathew. Saint John the Baptist pours water onto the head of Jesus, who is standing in River Jordan. The extended arm of God, the reference of Dove to the holy spirit and the Cruciform nimbus depicts that Jesus is the son of God and part of the Holy trinity. The draperies on the angel painted by Leonardo are hard and stiff. While Leonardo da Vinci was learning his art, he would make clay figures that were often covered in linen that was dipped in more clay. This lead to the production of curious fold system and it is mot likely that the draperies in this picture were painted from the drawings that were made through this process. Leonardo da Vinci in addition to the angel reached the hair on the second angle and contributed to the background through painting the area directly above the head of the angle. The style used by Verrocchio was very much traditional during that day such as distant hills and plains with the formalized rocks and scattered trees in most cases with a plastic work. This work demonstrated great originality with mists, water, shadow and sunlight.

The Angle, as well as, Leonardo da Vinci’s part of the Landscapes have all been painted in oil. This was rather a new medium during the period that painting was been introduced to Italy. The portions of the picture done by Andrea del Verrocchio are in the traditional egg tempera that produced a surface that is of the same kind to enamel, but called for strict demarcation lines amid the colors.   It was characteristic of Leonardo da Vinci to embrace the new method while his master persisted on using the old method.

During the period that the artwork was completed, Leonardo was just twenty-three years old, and part of his contribution to the picture was the angle which is seen holding the mantel.   The kneeling figure depicts signs which are typical of Leonardo that he would develop and retain in his entire career and more so in the brightness in the eyes, the luminous tumbling hair locks, the sweet look on the face. In addition, the tuft of grass at the knee of the angles speaks of Leonardo later interests in all nature facets. The angel on the left side of the paint is recorded as having been painted by Leonardo da Vinci in his youthful days, a fact that has elicited mythology and special comment that the value and significance of the entire picture is usually overlooked. By the time that the painting was created it was common for the master to leave some of the painting details to his apprentice. Hence, this painting was assigned to his student Leonardo da Vinci.