This fresco by Fra Angelico, painted between 1438 and 1443 for the Dominican monastery of San Marco, presents the Baptism of Christ with the clarity, stillness, and devotional intensity characteristic of the artist’s mature period. Set against a serene, winding Jordan River and a stark, mountainous landscape, the composition emphasises the humility of the moment and the contemplative ethos of the monastery for which it was made.

At the centre, Christ stands upright in the water, his hands gently crossed in prayer, while John the Baptist leans forward from a rocky outcrop to anoint him. John’s red mantle adds the only strong colour accent in the scene, drawing the viewer’s attention to the sacramental act. Above, a swirling, darkened break in the sky suggests the presence of the Holy Spirit descending from the heavens, a motif Fra Angelico often renders with subtle atmospheric tension.

To the left stand two angels in soft robes, their attitudes reverent and composed; they hold Christ’s garments and model the meditative response expected of the viewer. On the right, the Virgin Mary and Saint Dominic witnesses the scene with composed devotion, emphasizing Mary's role as a model of devotion and St. Dominic's as the order's founder.

The cool palette, measured gestures, and careful balance of figures against landscape demonstrate Fra Angelico’s mastery of combining spiritual meaning with visual harmony. Intended for a monastic audience moving through the cloisters in prayer and contemplation, the fresco invites an interior, reflective engagement with the mystery of Christ’s baptism.