Tuesday, October 4, 2011

There are a number of compositions which depict Salome receiving the head of St. John the Baptist without any emotion, whatsoever. A strange non-emotional response to the beheading. This approach tends to psychologically separate Salome from her role in the decapitation (See below). Andrea Solari’s Salome of 1506, calmly accepts the severed head, averting her eyes slightly. The Salome of Lucas Cranach (1530) in her sumptuous garb conveys the look of one mildly satisfied with her trophy. Bernardo Luini’s Salome of 1500 seems totally divorced from the grisly head. The Salome by the Lorraine School Master (1630) gazes at us, the viewers, emotionless as she receives the severed head. And, Carel Fabritius (16300 presents a Salome who gazes at the executioner as though she was young lady at the market haggling over a vegetable (See below).

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