Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist

The painting Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist was created by Bernardino Luini in 1550. Executed in oil paint on a panel, the work measures 62.23 cm in height and 51.43 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

The artwork depicts the biblical figures of Salome and the beheaded head of John the Baptist within a religious genre context.

The painting Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist by Bernardino Luini is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Created around 1550, the work is executed in oil on panel and depicts the biblical figure Salome presenting the severed head of John the Baptist. The museum location serves as the current repository for this religious genre piece, which measures approximately 62.23 cm in height and 51.43 cm in width. No specific inventory numbers or details regarding past exhibitions are provided in the available records.

Bernardino Luini’s oil painting Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist dates to around 1550. Executed in a Mannerist idiom, the work shows a solitary female figure presenting a severed head on a silver platter. The composition is set against a dark backdrop that heightens the luminous tones of the woman’s green dress, orange shawl and pearl ornaments.

Depictions of Salome with John the Baptist’s head were popular in Renaissance art, serving both devotional and didactic purposes. Luini’s version aligns with Northern Italian interpretations that emphasize emotional restraint and refined elegance, contrasting with the more dramatic, theatrical treatments found in contemporary Venetian or Roman works.