In The Baptism of Christ, Piero Della Francesca once again shows his amazing talent for perspective. In this painting, the river Jordan flows towards the viewer, while John pours the water over Jesus's head. This painting is a perfect example of Piero's more traditionalist paintings, and yet he manages to perfectly blend classical Italian monumental-ism with progressive mathematical designs. He seems to pay special attention to the water at the feet of John and Jesus. The water swirls around their feet, reflecting the sky above and the mud below in a clever manipulation of light. He makes use of a vanishing point just under Jesus's knees, demonstrating his mathematical knowledge.

Francesca was meant to be a merchant, and so he began learning math when he was 10. However, he had a clear talent for the visual arts, and when he was 15 it was decided that he would learn to paint. Rather than quitting his math studies, he incorporated them into his paintings, and during his life he published many papers on perspective and use of light. His ability to mix traditional style with his own progressive techniques really shows through with this painting. This was after his trip to Florence, and so there are elements of Fra Angelico's works in his style. This painting was done at the high point of Piero's life, which is probably why it's my personal favorite. I love the emotive faces, the dove hovering over Jesus, the way the water reflects the sky, and the perfect proportions in this painting.