Herodias

The painting is attributed to the depiction of Herodias due to the inscription "Erodiada" found on the back of the canvas. However, the iconography of this painting more closely resembles the depiction of Salome – a young, innocent girl devoid of the signs of vice typically attributed to Herodias by artists. Throughout different eras, the portrayal of Salome in painting has evolved. Some artists were drawn to the contrast between the girl's innocence and the severed head of John the Baptist. Other artists explored the embodiment of demonic beauty that accompanies death. Salome is most often depicted either in the moment of dancing at Herod's banquet or with the head of John the Baptist. In the history of visual arts, there are two periods when this image was trendy: during the Renaissance and in the second half of the 19th century. In the 16th century, artists often depicted Salome in close-ups. The half-length portrait allowed for a focus on the inner emotions of the heroine. Titian's painting "Salome with the Head of John the Baptist" is one of the most striking masterpieces of that time. The girl depicted in the painting appears carefree and innocent, which is accentuated by the background landscape with clouds. Around the same period, Salome was portrayed by Leonardo da Vinci's pupils – Giampietrino and Bernardino Luini. The faces of their heroines reflect sorrow. With the onset of the Baroque era, the image of Salome lost its popularity, but it did not entirely disappear from painting. The most renowned masters of the 17th century, such as Caravaggio, Guido Reni, and Peter Paul Rubens, turned to this subject. The painting's subject is taken from the Gospel.
The well-known story is about the apocryphal Salome, who danced at a feast held by her stepfather Herod and impressed him so much with her dance that she could ask for anything she desired. At that point, her mother, Herodias, advised her daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist. Salome embodies all human passions, impulses, and irrationality. Herod imprisoned John at the request of Herodias, his brother's wife, whom he had taken as his own wife after becoming king. John condemned them as sinners, and Herodias thirsted for his blood. However, Herod feared killing him, knowing that John was righteous and holy. Further, we read in the Gospel: "But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said: Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter! And the king was sorry, but he commanded it to be given because of his oaths and his guests. He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother" (Matthew 14:6-11).
The painting is set within an oval. It features a bust-length depiction of a young woman, turned with her back to the viewer and her head turned three-quarters to the left, with piercing dark eyes gazing intently towards the viewer. Her hair is red and curly, covered with a greenish fabric secured by an oval brooch. The girl wears a white blouse with lace trim and a pink dress. In the background, there is an image of the severed head of John the Baptist on a copper platter. The girl is holding the platter but turns away from its contents, directing her gaze towards the viewer – there is a sense of questioning in her expression regarding the act that has been committed.

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery