In the center of the picture is a large-scale figure of John the Baptist, a passionate preacher, an ascetic who urged the people to repent, to get rid of their sins in order to bring the Kingdom of Heaven closer.
The second center of the picture is Christ. John points to him, people’s eyes are turned to him. Christ is a symbol of goodness, spiritual purity, higher justice.
Related Paintings 
The image of Christ. Fragment of the painting by Alexander Ivanov 
The image of the penitent sinner (N. V. Gogol). Fragment of the painting by Alexander Ivanov 
Slaves. Fragment by Alexander Ivanov 
L’image de Jean-Baptiste. Un fragment de l’image – Alexander Ivanov 
The preaching of John the Baptist by Peter Brueghel 
The Appearance of Christ to the People by Alexander Ivanov 
L’image du Christ. Un fragment de l’image – Alexander Ivanov 
L’image du pécheur repentant (N. V. Gogol). Un fragment de l’image – Alexander Ivanov
The image of Christ. Fragment of the painting by Alexander Ivanov The image of the penitent sinner (N. V. Gogol). Fragment of the painting by Alexander Ivanov Slaves. Fragment by Alexander Ivanov L’image de Jean-Baptiste. Un fragment de l’image – Alexander Ivanov The preaching of John the Baptist by Peter Brueghel The Appearance of Christ to the People by Alexander Ivanov L’image du Christ. Un fragment de l’image – Alexander Ivanov L’image du pécheur repentant (N. V. Gogol). Un fragment de l’image – Alexander Ivanov