# Salome with the Head of the Baptist

[View the canonical artwork record](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/salome-with-the-head-of-the-baptist-r70b73cc2523bf3>)

## Artwork

- Artist: [CARAVAGGIO](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7>)
- Date: 1551-1600
- Technique: Oil on canvas, 116 x 140 cm

## Commentary

Salome with the Head of the Baptist c. 1609 Oil on canvas, 116 x 140 cm Palacio Real, Madrid This painting \(which was earlier in the Casita del Principe, Escorial\) was executed by Caravaggio to send to the Grand Master of Malta to appease him. It essentially follows the earlier version, today in London. The only slight change is in the pose of the executioner. And yet the two works are very obviously different. This later version rises out of an abyss of shadow. The executioner thoughtfully observes the result of his work, instead of lifting up the Baptist&#39;s head with certainty. You can view &lt;A onclick=&#34;return OpenOther\(&#39;/cgi-bin/search.cgi?author=&amp;\#38;title=Salome+AND+Baptist&amp;\#38;comment=&amp;\#38;time=any&amp;\#38;school=any&amp;\#38;form=any&amp;\#38;type=any&amp;\#38;location=&amp;\#38;header=0&amp;\#38;other=0&amp;\#38;showauthor=1&amp;\#38;caption=Salome+with+the+Head+of+John+the+Baptist&#39;\)&#34; HREF=&#34;/cgi-bin/search.cgi?author=&amp;\#38;title=Salome+AND+Baptist&amp;\#38;comment=&amp;\#38;time=any&amp;\#38;school=any&amp;\#38;form=any&amp;\#38;type=any&amp;\#38;location=&amp;\#38;header=0&amp;\#38;other=0&amp;\#38;showauthor=1&amp;\#38;caption=Salome+with+the+Head+of+John+the+Baptist&#34;&gt;other depictions&lt;/A&gt; of Salome with the Head of John the Baptist. &lt;P&gt; &lt;TABLE ALIGN=LEFT CELLPADDING=5 BORDER=1 WIDTH=320 BGCOLOR=&#34;\#99CCCC&#34;&gt; &lt;TR VALIGN=MIDDLE&gt;&lt;TD&gt;&lt;IMG SRC=&#34;/support/gif/listen.gif&#34; BORDER=0 VALIGN=MIDDLE&gt; Suggested listening \(streaming mp3, 15 minutes\):&lt;BR&gt;&lt;A HREF=&#34;\#&#34; onClick=&#34;w=window.open \(&#39;/music1/20\_cent/strauss\_salome.html&#39;, &#39;newWin&#39;, &#39;scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=350,height=350&#39;\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return true&#34;&gt;&lt;B&gt;Richard Strauss: Salome, closing scene&lt;/B&gt;&lt;/A&gt; &lt;/TD&gt;&lt;/TR&gt;&lt;/TABLE&gt;

## Related artworks

- [Adoration of the Shepherds](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/adoration-of-the-shepherds-r00f596d06ccb76>)
- [Amor Victorious \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/amor-victorious-detail-r7fc57933eeb070>)
- [Amor Victorious](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/amor-victorious-rfc7120f208bdbb>)
- [Bacchus \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/bacchus-detail-r8774eedb1acdb1>)
- [Bacchus \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/bacchus-detail-rfe80e05f9bef36>)
- [Bacchus](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/bacchus-re85963ede2d88d>)
- [Basket of Fruit](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/basket-of-fruit-re99b55e247b7b9>)
- [Beheading of Saint John the Baptist \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/beheading-of-saint-john-the-baptist-detail-r0f292c31f1b0b3>)
- [Beheading of Saint John the Baptist \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/beheading-of-saint-john-the-baptist-detail-r72c46c400ae03c>)
- [Beheading of Saint John the Baptist \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/beheading-of-saint-john-the-baptist-detail-r851b7fe163ad11>)
- [Beheading of Saint John the Baptist](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/beheading-of-saint-john-the-baptist-r2876dfa8814a65>)
- [Boy Bitten by a Lizard \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/caravaggio-r877ee03cc951f7/boy-bitten-by-a-lizard-detail-r25173f3478e90a>)

## Attribution

[Web Gallery of Art](<https://beta.wga.hu/pages/about>)