Artwork
Salome with John the Baptist's head
Salome with John the Baptist's head is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Andrea Solari. It dates from 1522 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a work of religious art, the composition centers on the aftermath of the beheading, identifying the main subject as the execution of the prophet.
The painting depicts the biblical narrative of Salome holding the severed head of John the Baptist. As a work of religious art, the composition centers on the aftermath of the beheading, identifying the main subject as the execution of the prophet. The iconography focuses on the interaction between Salome and the martyr, presenting the moment where the head is displayed to the onlookers.
This scene represents the tragic fulfillment of Herod's oath and the consequences of political intrigue, serving as a visual meditation on the martyrdom of John the Baptist.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on a poplar panel, the painting measures 59 × 58 cm and depicts Salome holding a platter that bears the severed head of John the Baptist. Solari employs a restrained, enamel-like handling with smooth transitions and a cool, silvery palette that tempers the scene’s violence. The composition arranges the figures along a shallow, planar recession, emphasizing linear contours and volumetric modeling rather than dramatic chiaroscuro.
The figure of Salome is rendered with precise anatomical definition, while the Baptist’s severed head is depicted with a stark realism that contrasts with the otherwise restrained tonality.
The work’s condition appears stable, with no structural damage reported; the panel support remains intact and the paint layer shows even wear consistent with its age and storage history.
History & Provenance
Andrea Solari created the oil-on-panel painting Salome with John the Baptist's head in 1522. The work depicts the biblical figures Salome and John the Baptist, focusing on the beheading of the latter. It is currently held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The painting measures 59 cm in height and 58 cm in width.
Andrea Solari's painting Salome with John the Baptist's head is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The work is an oil-on-panel painting created in 1522 that depicts the beheading of John the Baptist. While the museum location is confirmed, the provided sources do not specify a unique inventory or accession number for the piece. Additionally, the available documentation contains no record of the artwork's exhibition history or specific display dates.
Overview
Andrea Solari, a painter active in Milan during the early sixteenth century, produced the oil work Salome with John the Baptist’s Head in 1522. The canvas, now held by the Kunsthistorisches Museum, presents a compact biblical tableau in which Salome stands beside a bowl that contains the severed head of the prophet John, observed by a bearded figure.
Context
Solari’s treatment of the Salome narrative reflects the broader Renaissance interest in biblical subjects rendered with human emotion and courtly refinement. The painting aligns with contemporary Milanese trends that blended Northern attention to detail with Italian compositional balance, anticipating the heightened drama that would later characterize the Baroque period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Andrea Solari (also Solario) (1460–1524) was an Italian Renaissance painter of the Milanese school.
- Salome with the Head of John the Baptist
Salome with the head of John the Baptist
Salome with the head of John the Baptist
Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist
Salome with the Head of John the Baptist
Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist
Salome with the Head of St John the Baptist
Salome with the Head of John the Baptist
Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist
Salome with the head of John the Baptist
Salome with the head of St John the Baptist at Herodes table