And this year’s Sexiest Saint Award goes to…John the Baptist! Give it up for Cecco, Caravaggio’s boy-toy, museand model.

We recognize the impish face of the young knave from Caravaggio’s studio from other naughty pictures like Amor Vincit Omnia. He’s underage, he’s naked, he’s hotand he knows it.  All while portraying John the Baptist. Nothing sexier than a sinning saint!

Seems like Caravaggio can seldom get this saint straight, and this boudoir edition lets especially loose. We’re accustomed to picturing this cousin of JC’s wandering the barren desert, with his defining accessories: a bowl, reed cross, camel's skin and lamb, if you’re a little rusty on Catholic iconography. Little remains from these easily identifiable trappings in Caravaggio’s version. The camel skin is flung aside to reveal little John, and the nude, lithe body of St. John curves sensuously across the canvas. In place of a wee, innocent lamb, Caravaggio paints the saint hugging a ram. A horned creature, if you pay close attention. Here’s an etymology lesson for you: the word “horny” definitely derives from horns, but art history also uses horned creatures as symbols of lust. Penetrating information, indeed.

Earlier on, a similarly confusing (but not nearly as sexy) portrait of St. John was made by Leonardo da Vinci. This lost youth in the wilderness may be the only one of his saintly kind to be painted semi-nude. Looks like Caravaggio could argue he was just upholding tradition…though he may have bent the rules here just a bit.