Who painted Salome with the Head of John the Baptist?

Salome with the Head of John the Baptist was painted by Luini Bernardino in 1525-01-01.

Where can I see Salome with the Head of John the Baptist?

Salome with the Head of John the Baptist is held by Kunsthistorisches Museum.

What movement is Salome with the Head of John the Baptist?

Salome with the Head of John the Baptist is associated with Mannerism.

Artwork

Salome with the Head of John the Baptist

Luini Bernardino , 1525

Salome with the Head of John the Baptist is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Luini Bernardino. It dates from 1525 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Created around 1525 by Bernardino Luini, the work belongs to the religious genre and was intended to convey this biblical narrative for devotional reflection.

The painting shows Salome holding a platter on which rests the severed head of John the Baptist, directly illustrating the New Testament episode in which she demands the prophet's head as a reward for her dance. Created around 1525 by Bernardino Luini, the work belongs to the religious genre and was intended to convey this biblical narrative for devotional reflection. Its composition, featuring a woman, a man's head, and a platter, centers on the moral and dramatic moment of the story.

Technique & Style

Executed around 1525, this religious painting by Bernardino Luini uses oil as its medium. The work measures 56 cm in height and 43 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition focuses on Salome presenting the severed head of John the Baptist on a platter, rendered with the soft figural characteristics associated with Luini and his connection to the art of Leonardo da Vinci.

The piece is classified as a painting within the religious genre, emphasizing the dramatic interaction between the female figure and the displayed head.

History & Provenance

Salome with the Head of John the Baptist was painted by Bernardino Luini around 1525 in oil on panel. The work was formerly part of the collection of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria and is now held in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. It measures 56 by 43 cm and depicts Salome holding the severed head of John the Baptist on a platter. No specific inventory number or exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.

Overview

Bernardino Luini, a North Italian painter active during the High Renaissance, completed Salome with the Head of John the Baptist in 1525. This oil painting depicts the biblical figure Salome presenting the severed head of John the Baptist on a platter. The artwork is characterized by the central figure's composed expression amidst the macabre subject matter. It is currently housed in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

Legacy

Bernardino Luini's distinctive approach to female figures, exemplified by Salome's elegant posture and serene demeanor, became a notable aspect of his oeuvre. This characteristic style, marked by a particular grace and elongation, was later recognized and termed "Luinesque" by the author Vladimir Nabokov. The painting remains an important example of Luini's contribution to North Italian Renaissance art.

Salome with the head of John the Baptist, Luini Bernardino

Artist & collection

Artist

Luini Bernardino

Bernardino Luini (c. 1480/82 – June 1532) was a north Italian painter from Leonardo's circle during the High Renaissance. Both Luini and Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio were said to have worked with Leonardo directly; he…