Virgin and Child with Saint John the Baptist was completed in 1515 by Antonio Allegri Correggio and depicts the seated form of the Virgin Mary holding a very young Christ and Saint John the Baptist. About a century later, Peter Paul Rubens painted the Holy Family with Saints Elizabeth and John the Baptist, also depicting the same three biblical figures as Correggio, but this time accompanied by Mary's husband, Joseph, and Saint John's mother, Saint Elizabeth . Both works used oil on canvas as their medium and are currently housed at the Art Institute of Chicago. The two works of art call for a sense of religious veneration through the depiction of a scene that foreshadows the future relationship and destiny of Saint John and Christ, namely the baptism and crucifixion of Christ. While Correggio pursues this theme by creating a relaxed atmosphere that quells the strong emotions that might otherwise be present, Rubens decided to construct a dramatic, emotion-driven scene that is highly indicative of a bleak future. In Correggio's painting, Mary is the largest subject. with its shape taking up a considerable portion of the foreground. Although much larger than the forms of the Christ Child and St. John, Mary does not tower assertively over the two; rather, Maria is a relatively passive image in the painting as she gazes affectionately at the two children in a slightly contrasting posture. His arms gently encircle the two in a protective gesture that at the same time does not prevent play between the children, suppressing any sense of tension that could arise from the arrangement. The serenity found in Mary is also passed on to children as the three figures come together in a triangular arrangement that suggests a... paper center... n. The twisting of the body of Christ towards the mother and the extension of Saint John upwards add an almost theatrical quality to the piece which is not at all present in Correggio's adaptation. Rubens also decided to incorporate the additional figures of Joseph and Saint Elizabeth, who are arranged almost to provide a frame as they are each on one side of the central group and appear to offer their help to Mary and the children. The facial expressions of these two seem particularly individualized and express intense and sincere emotions. These characters are also given a dramatic touch as they are simply arranged statically, indeed they are bent at an angle and above all Joseph turns with his hand outstretched towards the lamb. It should be noted that the lamb is probably intended to serve as a symbol of Christ's future sacrifice.