Ancient painting "The Baptism of the Eunuch" oil on canvas 17th century

Oil on canvas. The canvas depicts an episode from the biblical book of the Acts of the Apostles, namely the baptism administered by the deacon Philip to an Ethiopian eunuch. Philip, after receiving an invitation from an angel to travel along the deserted road from Jerusalem to Gaza, encountered the Ethiopian as he was travelling in a chariot reading the prophet Isaiah. After explaining the Scriptures and proclaiming the birth of Jesus, he baptised him. The subject has been widely represented, particularly in 17th-century Flemish art, as it was considered an iconographic and theological theme of extraordinary importance for the Reformed Church (Calvinist and Protestant in general), especially in the United Provinces (now the Netherlands). Furthermore, the pictorial style, particularly in the representation of figures, refers to Venetian painting of the same period, being well aware of how frequently Flemish artists visited Venice and how the two artistic cultures influenced each other. The scene, in keeping with the Baroque style, is rich in figures that overlap and intertwine at different scenic levels. At the centre, in the foreground, is the deacon Philip pouring baptismal water over the head of the kneeling Ethiopian; on either side are various figures assisting, spectators, and children, and in the background to the left is a black servant holding the reins of the horse pulling the Ethiopian's chariot. The landscape is barely discernible, particularly the stream in which the baptism takes place, and it is chromatically uniform, with barely perceptible details, even incorporating the Ethiopian's chariot. The figures, on the other hand, stand out with the bright colours of their robes and the rosy complexions of some of them, contrasting with the dark skin of the Eastern figures. The painting, still on its original canvas, shows signs of previous restorations.