St. John the Baptist is represented in isolation, as a hermit in the desert. His clothing is referred to in the Gospels: roughly knitted camel’s hair that covers half of his legs and arms, and a goatskin girdle at his waist. The green mantle was sometimes added as a symbol of his glorious martyrdom. In middle age, with a long beard, dishevelled hair and bare feet, his body and face bear the marks of his life of penance led in the desert. Considered by the evangelists as the last of the prophets, he announced the coming of the Messiah, so his personal and constant attribute is the Agnus Dei or Divine Lamb. He is presented as a model of conventual life.

Ark — in iconography — a deepened middle field on the front surface of the icon board. The shape more or less repeats the shape of the board. Depth — up to 5 mm. The edges of the board that are not occupied by the ark are called fields, the transition from fields to the ark is called husk. There are no clear and generally accepted theories about the reasons for the appearance of the ark.