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Salome with head of St John the Baptist,
Painted by Andrea Solari (1460-1524),
Oil on panel,
Painted in 1506
© Metropolitan Museum of art, New York |
King Herod had heard about Jesus, since by now his name was well known. Some were saying, ‘John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’ Others said, ‘He is Elijah’; others again, ‘He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have.’ But when Herod heard this he said, ‘It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.’
Now it was this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.
An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.’ The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. |
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| | Reflection on the Painting
This is quite a stunning picture we are looking at today. We see Salome painted with idealised beauty, clothed in expensive silks, velvets and wearing opulent jewellery. She is holding the bowl, filled with St John’s blood. St John the Baptist’s head is held aloft by the hand of the executioner. We don’t see the head of executioner, just the arm. Whilst the executioner killed him, it was Salome who asked for the murder to take place. The biblical story of Salome seductively dancing for King Herod and thereafter demanding as her reward the head of John the Baptist, has been a long fascination for artists throughout art history. Our painting captures the moment when the executioner places St John’s head onto a charger held by Salome. Whilst she got exactly what she asked for, she doesn’t look happy. The contrast between her strikingly beautiful face but yet unhappy, with St John’s head, dead but at peace, makes this whole painting very dramatic.
The beheading of St. John the Baptist happened on Herod's birthday. Yet we remember this day not as Herod’s birthday, but as the day that the forerunner of the Lord who heralded to the world that Christ was coming, was killed. With this episode, Herod established his name forever in the minds of people of being a bad and evil man. The striking thing about this passage is that Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man. So Herod knew that St John was a good man, and yet killed him with great cruelty. Why? The worldly desires, alcohol at the party and seductiveness of Salome swayed Herod in no time to demand the execution. In one moment of madness, he made John to be the symbol for all people martyred subsequently for their faith in Jesus Christ…
by Patrick van der Vorst |
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