Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist

The Bible recounts how King Herod, captivated by the dancing of his stepdaughter, Salome, offered her any reward. At her mother’s urging, Salome requested the head of John the Baptist, who had criticized her mother’s marriage. During the Renaissance, John’s head on a platter was widely understood to be a symbol for the Host, or sacramental bread in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist. Luini executed several paintings of Salome with the head of the Baptist where the beautiful faces belie the brutal violence of decapitation. The technique of contours blurred by delicate shadows and the specific facial types reveal the strong influence of Leonardo da Vinci.

This oil on panel painting measures 62.23 x 51.43 cm (24 1/2 x 20 1/4 in.). It can be viewed in the Italian Renaissance Garry of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts.