''The Head of Saint John the Baptist presented to Salome'' is a circa 1609
oil on panel painting by the Flemish artist
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) executed shortly after his return to
Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504, after an eight year stay in Italy.
The painting which had been lost or misattributed for over 200 years was rediscovered in 1987 and in 1998 sold for $5.5 million US. The work then became part of the Fisch-Davidson collection of
Baroque paintings
Baroque painting is the painting associated with the Baroque cultural movement. The movement is often identified with Absolutism, the Counter Reformation and Catholic Revival,[Old Masters
In art history, "Old Master" (or "old master")][Old Masters De ...]
sale for $26.9 million the third highest ever price for a work by Rubens.
The work depicts the head of John the Baptist being presented to
Salome
Salome (; he, שְלוֹמִית, Shlomit, related to , "peace"; el, Σαλώμη), also known as Salome III, was a Jewish princess, the daughter of Herod II, son of Herod the Great, and princess Herodias, granddaughter of Herod the Great, an ...
just moments after it has been severed from the biblical figure's body
References
1609 paintings
Paintings by Peter Paul Rubens
Baroque art
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