1765
oil
panel
From the collection of National Galleries Scotland
Salome Receiving the Saint John the Baptist's Head is a 1765 oil by John Runciman, held at National Galleries Scotland.
The painting shows a woman holding a platter with a severed head. The woman is dressed in a long, dark robe and has a white cloth wrapped around her head. The head on the platter is that of a man with a beard. The background of the painting is dark and shadowy. In the foreground, the woman's face is illuminated, while the rest of the scene is shrouded in darkness. This contrast between light and dark creates a sense of drama and tension. To learn more about the use of light and dark to create mood, look up the technique of chiaroscuro.
John Runciman (1744 – 1768 or 1769) was a Scottish painter known for Biblical and literary scenes. His works include Flight into Egypt and King Lear in the Storm, both in the National Gallery of Scotland.
See the richer artist page
