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Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist

Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist by Jacob Duck (Dutch, c. 1600–1667)

Medium

oil on wood

Dimensions

unframed: 71 × 54.6 cm · framed: 92 × 76.5 × 4 cm

Classification

Painting

Department

European Painting and Sculpture

Museum

Cleveland Museum of Art

Credit

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Noah L. Butkin

Accession Number

1975.79

Rights

Public Domain

Tags

male

About this artwork

The colorful, exotic garments worn by the woman at the right demonstrate Jacob Duck’s skill in painting luxurious surfaces: she is Salome, daughter of Herodias. According to the New Testament, Herodias bore a grudge against John the Baptist, who condemned her marriage to Herod, ruler of Galilee and Perea. At a celebration dinner, Salome so charmed Herod with her dancing that he offered her anything she desired—and Herodias convinced Salome to demand John the Baptist’s head. Rather than depicting...

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