Saint John the Baptist, Religious statue on Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic
Saint John the Baptist is a stone statue on Charles Bridge that portrays the saint wearing sheepskin and a cloak while holding a long iron cross beneath his left arm. The work stands on the bridge's north side and displays typical details of 19th-century religious sculpture.
Josef Max created this work in 1857 to replace an earlier version by Jan Brokoff that had displayed a baptism scene since 1706. The replacement reflects the artistic changes made to bridge decoration over a span of more than a century.
The figure depicts Saint John in his role as the forerunner of Christ, contributing to the religious narrative that runs through the many statues on Charles Bridge. The portrayal with sheepskin and cloak speaks to visitors walking across the bridge who are exploring the spiritual history of the city.
The figure is located on the north side of Charles Bridge and is easily accessible to pedestrians traveling between Old Town and Lesser Town. Since it is part of the public bridge walk, you can view it during a casual stroll without any special planning needed.
A cast iron cross and a shell beside the figure symbolically embody the baptism of Christ and link the sculpture to a central biblical event. These details give the work a deeper layer of meaning that passing visitors often overlook.
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