Salome with the Head of John the Baptist (Luini)
Salome with the Head of John the Baptist is a c. 1527 oil-on-panel painting by
History
At the time of its arrival in Florence it was attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, but was reattributed to Luini by Gouthiez based on an 1890 inventory - Beltrami dated it to c. 1527-1530, late in Luini's life. Art historians argue that Salome's face was based on Leonardo's La Scapigliata.[2]
Description and analysis
The painting depicts an executioner, who is propping the severed head of John the Baptist into a footed stand resting on a ledge and held by Salome (or possibly Herodias). On the left, an old woman with a veiled head, probably a maid, witnesses the scene. The face of the executioner is described with almost caricatural features, which enhance his ugliness and wickedness, in contrast with the delicate features of the lifeless face of the Baptist. Particular attention is paid to the sumptuous dress of Salome, characteristic of the fashion of the early 16th century, as well to her elaborate braided hair. Leonardo's influence is particularly evident in the girl's face.[3]
References
- ^ "Catalogue entry" (in Italian).
- ^ (in Italian) Giovanni Agosti, Jacopo Stoppa, Bernardino Luini e i suoi figli, Officina Libraria, Milano, 2014
- ^ (in Italian) Giovanni Agosti, Jacopo Stoppa, Bernardino Luini e i suoi figli, Officina Libraria, Milano, 2014