Terracotta
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/arnold-machin-1541" aria-label="More by Arnold Machin" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Arnold Machin</a>
St John Baptist
Purchased 1944
actions: postures and motions
boy
children
halo
hands clasped
people
prayer
religion and belief
Saints
St John the Baptist
universal religious imagery
<p>Machin studied sculpture at the Royal College of Art, London during the Second World War and was later elected to the Royal Academy. He developed a classical style and is best known for his relief portrait of the Queen which featured on stamps and coins from 1968 to 1984. This sculpture shows John the Baptist as a boy at prayer. His delicate physique is counterbalanced by his strong and direct gaze. Machin was imprisoned in 1944 as a conscientious objector. Themes of vulnerability and spiritual salvation may have meant as much to him as they did to wider society in a global war.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2016</em></p>
sculpture terracotta
16 July 2001 – 6 August 2001
2001-08-06
16 July 2001 – 6 August 2001
2001-08-06
2001-07-16
Royal Academy of Arts (London, UK)
http://www.royalacademy.org.uk
2001-07-16
Arnold Machin
Loan-out
3 May 2004 – 30 August 2004
2004-08-30
3 May 2004
2004-05-03
Tate Modern (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/
2004-05-03
Turbine Hall (heads)
Collection based display
11 December 2004 – 2 May 2005
2005-05-02
11 December 2004 – 29 May 2005
2005-05-29
2004-12-11
Tate Liverpool (Liverpool, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/
2004-12-11
Seeing is Believing: Faith in the Tate Collection
Collection based display
12 November 2010 – 15 May 2011
2011-05-15
12 November 2010 – 15 May 2011
2011-05-15
2010-11-12
Victoria and Albert Museum (London, UK)
http://www.vam.ac.uk
2010-11-12
Mapping Sculpture from the Great Exhibition to the Festival of Britain
Loan-out
13 May 2013 – 7 April 2019
2019-04-07
13 May 2013 – 7 April 2019
2019-04-07
2013-05-13
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2013-05-13
Gallery 31
Collection based display
13 March 2020 – 30 August 2020
2020-08-30
13 March 2020 – 30 August 2020
2020-08-30
2020-03-13
Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Bonn, Germany)
http://www.kah-bonn.de/
2020-03-13
Capitalism
Loan-out
St John the Baptist
object: 521 × 311 × 292 mm
Purchased 1944
<div class="text">
<p>Machin studied sculpture at the Royal College of Art, London during the Second World War and was later elected to the Royal Academy. He developed a classical style and is best known for his relief portrait of the Queen which featured on stamps and coins from 1968 to 1984. This sculpture shows John the Baptist as a boy at prayer. His delicate physique is counterbalanced by his strong and direct gaze. Machin was imprisoned in 1944 as a conscientious objector. Themes of vulnerability and spiritual salvation may have meant as much to him as they did to wider society in a global war.</p>
</div>

Display caption
2016-09-06T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N05444</b> ST JOHN THE BAPTIST <i>c.</i> 1944</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not inscribed.
<br/>Terracotta, 20 1/2×12 1/4×11 1/2 (52×31×29).
<br/>Purchased from the artist (Knapping Fund) 1944.
<br/>
<br/>[no further details]
<br/>
<br/><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-07-21T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
actions: postures and motions boy children halo hands clasped people prayer religion and belief Saints St John the Baptist universal religious imagery