Salome Presenting the Head of Saint John the Baptist to Herod

This depiction of the story of Salome is one of Dürer’s lesser known prints. When John the Baptist condemned the marriage of Salome’s mother to King Herod, the young Salome seduced the King with a dance and convinced him to decapitate the saint. Dürer sets the episode in an intimate setting, similar to those of the Small Passion. The stirring exchange of glances between Salome, King Herod, and the decapitated head of Saint John provides the scene with a palpable feeling of discomfort.