Artwork
Capul lui Ioan Botezătorul (copie după Salomea de Guido Reni)
Capul lui Ioan Botezătorul (copie după Salomea de Guido Reni) is an unspecified painting by the Romanesque artist Gheorghe Tattarescu. It dates from 1867 and is held in the collection of the Bucharest Municipality Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1867, this oil work by Romanian artist Gheorghe Tattarescu presents a close‑up of John the Baptist’s head. Executed as a copy after Guido Reni’s depiction of Salome, the piece belongs to the religious genre and reflects the Romanesque tendencies that informed Tattarescu’s early neoclassical phase. It is currently housed in the Museum of Ethnography.
Subject & Meaning
The composition isolates the saint’s visage, with dark fabric obscuring most features and only the eyes and a fragment of the nose emerging from shadow. By concentrating on the penetrating gaze, the image underscores John the Baptist’s prophetic role and his association with spiritual revelation, inviting contemplation of his martyrdom and biblical significance.
Technique & Style
Tattarescu employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, juxtaposing deep, velvety shadows against a luminous focal point on the eyes. This handling of light creates a three‑dimensional effect and heightens emotional intensity. The brushwork remains tight around the illuminated areas, while broader, softer strokes render the surrounding darkness, echoing the dramatic lighting favored by Baroque masters.
History & Provenance
The painting is a faithful reproduction of Guido Reni’s earlier work, known as Salome, adapted by Tattarescu as part of his study of Italian masters. After its completion, the piece entered the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it has remained on display, serving as an example of 19th‑century Romanian engagement with Western religious iconography.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gheorghe Tattarescu (Romanian pronunciation:; October 1818 – October 24, 1894) was a Romanian painter and a pioneer of neoclassicism in his country's modern painting.
