Busts of Saint John the Baptist as a boy -- known as San Giovannino -- were commonly displayed in Florentine homes during the Renaissance. Saint John's fine and innocent face and his curly hair convey the period's ideal of youthful beauty. The artist, Benedetto da Rovezzano, made this bust in Florence when fellow artists Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo were leading the artistic scene in town. When Michelangelo left for Rome in 1508 to paint the Sistine Ceiling, he asked Benedetto to finish his bronze David (now lost)--a testament to Rovezzano's skill and artistry. Benedetto da Rovezzano also worked for the royal courts of France and England, and thus he was instrumental in spreading the Renaissance style beyond Italy.