The artwork was commissioned in 1583 by Giacomo Canobbi, a professor of law at the University of Bologna, for his chapel in the Church of Saints Gregory and Siro. It was completed in 1585, as indicated on the canvas.
This was the second public commission obtained by Annibale, following the Crucifixion of 1583. The Baptism of Christ is the only altarpiece painted by the most famous of the Carracci. At the center of the altarpiece, in the lower part, Saint John the Baptist pours the water from the Jordan River over the head of Christ, performing the act of baptism. Beside them, a group of young people stands, and in the background, some older men seem to be discussing theological matters, gesturing with their hands to signify the number three, symbolizing the Holy Trinity. Above, the heavens open to reveal God the Father and the dove of the Holy Spirit, perfectly aligned with the figure of Christ below.
