Zacharias writes John's name

Everybody expected that the child would be named after his father. But Elisabeth insisted he should be named John, which made people wonder about Zacharias being the father or not. Zacharias sat down and wrote on a table: "His name is John". He then immediately regained speech, which he had lost when the angel announced his son's birth to him.

This fresco is part of the series Ghirlandaio made in the Tornabuoni family chapel in the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence. All works are about the life of John the Baptist.

• The Angel appears to Zacharias
• The visitation
• Birth of the Baptist
• Zacharias writes John's Name
• The Preaching of the Baptist
• John Baptises Jesus
• Herod's Banquet