Though stern in his teachings he became for a time very popular. Yet
he always spoke of his own work with great humility. "There cometh one
mightier than I after me," he said.[9] This was Jesus, who, on
presenting himself for baptism, was greeted by John as the "Lamb of
God." The prophet's mission was now accomplished. He was soon after
thrown into prison and beheaded, at the order of King Herod, whose
sins he had openly rebuked.

The story of the Baptist's life brings readily before the imagination
the strange figure of the man.[10] It is not so easy to fancy how he
might have looked as a boy. The bas-relief of our illustration shows
us what form the idea took in the mind of the sculptor Donatello.

[Illustration: ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST (DONATELLO) _National Museum,
Florence_]

The little fellow seems tall and slender for his years, as if he had
stretched his limbs by running much in the open air. The face is
somewhat serious, but perfectly childish. The lips are parted in a
half smile. He has a good forehead, and is an independent thinker. He
impresses us as a straightforward character, a boy to like and trust.

It would be too much to say that he shows the making of a great man.
It is enough that he is an honest, healthy boy with a mind of his own.
He is hardly pretty, but he is very interesting. The hair is his most
charming feature, waving in little tendrils over the head. He is not
plump enough for his figure to show fine curves. On the contrary, the
modelling is on rather severe lines, as if in keeping with the
character.

Certain well understood signs show who he is. The circle about his
head is the halo, the symbol of a sacred character. The skin garment
fastened at the shoulder reminds us of the strange clothing John wore
in the desert. The tall cross is the emblem of the prophet, as a
forerunner of the crucified one.

Donatello's art covered a wide range of subjects, but in none was he
more at home than in representing children. He has been called "the
poet of child-life." There are interesting points of comparison
between the example before us and the Musical Angels of the altar at
Padua. St. John the Baptist is evidently a real little boy,
transferred to the stone just as he was. The piping angels, on the
other hand, are child ideals, without counterpart

in real life. St. John's large ear, with its irregularly bent rim, and
his straight upper lip, are features such as an artist must certainly
have c