Salome with the head of St John the Baptist at Herodes table

Salome with the head of St John the Baptist at Herodes table

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 297]
[Klein, Report 2004]

The macabre climax of the festivities to celebrate King Herodes' birthday is the moment when Salome presents the decapitated head of St John the Baptist to her stepfather on a pewter plate. Cranach dramatically intensifies the gruesome scene in his depiction, as the biblical text recounting the martyrdom (Mt 14,

The macabre climax of the festivities to celebrate King Herodes' birthday is the moment when Salome presents the decapitated head of St John the Baptist to her stepfather on a pewter plate. Cranach dramatically intensifies the gruesome scene in his depiction, as the biblical text recounting the martyrdom (Mt 14, 1-12 and Mk 6, 21-29) only records the unnamed Salome showing the head to her mother (Gotha, Inv Nr. SG303). Embellishment of the scene to include the stepfather and other additional details allowed Cranach to deploy his narrative skills. The compositional inspiration for this painting can be found in a woodcut by the netherlandish artist Lucas van Leyden, which was created about 1513/14.[1]

Cranach divided the image into different sections. Grouped around the decapitated head are the people who were directly involved in the event: Herodes, Herodias and Salome. As the protagonist Salome stands in the foreground of the painting. Whereas the king is shown expressing resistance or shock, his wife Herodias appears emotionally impassive. Salome's facial expression on the other hand with its slightly open eyes and open mouth is particularly devious. The Baptist's head shown distorted with pain is masterfully positioned within the composition. At once the viewer takes in the ruptured eyes and the bloody wound on the neck of the decapitated head, which illustrate the entire horror of the event in a most gruesome and realistic manner. The protagonists are surrounded by unconcerned observers. One of the servants carries a bowl with fruit, which in size and appearance is similar to the plate with the decapitated head and as such underlines the macabre presentation on the table. The man on the left holding the hilt of his sword is a reference to the preceding order to behead St John.

[1] Lucas van Leyden, 'Herodes' Feast', woodcut, British Museum, London.

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha/Kassel 2015, 220]

Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Younger
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Lucas Cranach the Younger

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha 2015, No. 65]
[Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 2011]
[Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 297]
[Koepplin, Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 572][1]
[Waagen 1958, 38, 39][1]
[1] [Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 298, 301]

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Matthäi, cat. Dresden 1835, No. 144][1]
[1] [Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 298, 301]

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Schäfer, Cat. Dresden 1860, 909][1]
[Schuchardt 1851 A, Bd. 2, 43][1]
[1] [Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 298, 301]

Production date
1537

Production date

1537

[dated]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 82.5 x 121 x 1.4 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 82.5 x 121 x 1.4 cm

  • [Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 297]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia top right: winged serpent with dropped wings and dated '1537'

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia top right: winged serpent with dropped wings and dated '1537'

Inscriptions and Labels

Reverse of the panel: [Gal.-Nr., repeatedly]; Sammlungsnachweis Pillnitz (repeatedly): 'Inv. 41.'; in white chalk, symbol: 'O'; in blue …

Inscriptions and Labels

Stamps, Seals, Labels:

  • Reverse of the panel: [Gal.-Nr., repeatedly]; Sammlungsnachweis Pillnitz (repeatedly): 'Inv. 41.'; in white chalk, symbol: 'O'; in blue chalk: '-106'; in blue ink on a paper label: '30 Kr 336, 35 Kr 192 mAs 20.11 33 Inst. f. Denkmalpflege Halle'

  • [Schlegel 2003, 76][1]

  • [1][Schlegel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 297]

Owner
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Repository
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Location
Dresden
CDA ID
DE_SKD_GG1923
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SKD_GG1923/

Provenance

  • 1657 entered the Kunstkammer (Elector Johann Georg II)
    [Sächs, HStADD, Akten der Generaldirektion der königlichen Sammlungen, Cap. X a, Nr. 36][1]

  • inventory of the Kunstkammer 1741
    [Sächs, HStADD, 13458 SKD, Inventar Nr. 11][2]

  • [Matthäi, Cat. Dresden 1835, No. 144][2]

  • 1945 war loss, parts in:
    [Forschungsarchiv SKD, Nachlass Hans Posse ?][2]

[1][Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 298]
[2][Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 2011]

Exhibitions

Dresden 1937, 15
Weimar, Wittenberg 1953, No. 66
Weimar 1972, No. 60
Basel 1974, 572
Torgau 2004, Bd. 1, No. 217
Chemnitz 2005, No. 16
Gotha/Kassel 2015, No. 65 (only in Gotha)

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Coburg 2018 202, fn. 12 under no. 44
AuthorKlaus Weschenfelder
TitleCranach in Coburg. Gemälde von Lucas Cranach d.Ä., Lucas Cranach d.J., der Werkstatt und des Umkreises in den Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg
Place of PublicationRegensburg
Year of Publication2018
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Gotha, Kassel 2015 218, 220, 221 65 Pl. p. 221
EditorJulia Carrasco, Justus Lange, Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha, Benjamin D. Spira, Timo Trümper
TitleBild und Botschaft. Cranach im Dienst von Hof und Reformation, [Gotha, Herzogliches Museum; Kassel, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Schloss Wilhelmshöhe]
Place of PublicationHeidelberg
Year of Publication2015
Show Literature
Maaz 2010 66, 67
AuthorBernhard Maaz
TitleCranach in der Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister Dresden
Place of PublicationBerlin, Munich
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005 232, 296-301 16 Pl. p. 296/297
EditorHarald Marx, Karin Kolb, Ingrid Mössinger
TitleCranach Anlässlich der Ausstellung Cranach vom 13. November 2005 bis 12. März 2006 in den Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz. Eine Ausstellung in Kooperation mit der Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister der Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Show Literature
Kolb 2005 C 531, 541-548, 550, 551, 553, 555-557 16
AuthorKarin Kolb
TitleDokumentation zum Dresdener Cranach-Bestand
Publicationin Harald Marx, Ingrid Mössinger, Karin Kolb, eds., Cranach. Gemälde aus Dresden, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz
Place of PublicationCologne
Year of Publication2005
Pages526-572
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Torgau 2004 No. 217
EditorHarald Marx, Eckhard Kluth, Cecilie Hollberg
TitleGlaube und Macht. Sachsen im Europa der Reformationszeit. 2. Sächsische Landesaussellung Schloss Hartenfels Torgau
Volume1-2
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication2004
Show Literature
Schlegel 2003 76
AuthorArmgard Schlegel
TitleTechnologische Untersuchungen an Holzbildträgern von Gemälden der Cranachwerkstatt in den Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Place of PublicationDresden
IssueSeminararbeit der Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden
Year of Publication2003
Show Literature
Cat. Weimar 1992 55, 56 No. 17
AuthorHelga Hoffmann
EditorKunstsammlungen zu Weimar
TitleKunstsammlungen zu Weimar. Die deutschen Gemälde des XVI. Jahrhunderts
Place of PublicationFulda
Year of Publication1992
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976 572
AuthorDieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
TitleLukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationBasel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1974
Link http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Weimar 1972 B No. 60
EditorSchlossmuseum Weimar
TitleLucas Cranach 1472-1553. Ein großer Maler in bewegter Zeit
Place of PublicationWeimar
Year of Publication1972
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Weimar, Wittenberg 1953 No. 66
AuthorWalther Scheidig
EditorDeutsche Lucas Cranach Komitee
TitleLucas Cranach Ausstellung. Weimar und Wittenberg
Place of PublicationWeimar, Wittenberg
Year of Publication1953
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Dresden 1937 15
Authorn. a.
TitleLucas Cranach der Ältere und der Jüngere. Ausstellung von Werken aus dem Besitze der Staatlichen Gemäldegalerie und dem Staatlichen Kupferstichkabinet
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1937
Show Literature
Flechsig 1900 A IV
AuthorEduard Flechsig
TitleCranachstudien
Volume1
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1900
Link page/n5/mode/2up
Show Literature
Lindau 1883 288
AuthorMartin Bernhard Lindau
TitleLucas Cranach. Ein Lebensbild aus dem Zeitalter der Reformation
Place of PublicationLeipzig
Year of Publication1883
Show Literature
Schäfer 1860 909
AuthorWilhelm Schäfer
TitleDie Königliche Gemälde-Gallerie im Neuen Museum zu Dresden. Beschreibung und Erläuterung sämmtlicher Gemälde nach der Ordnung der Räume begleitet von kunsgeschichtlichen und kritischen Erinnerungen
Volume1 - 3
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1860
Show Literature
Waagen 1858 38, 39
AuthorGustav Friedrich Waagen
TitleEinige Bemerkungen über die neue Aufstellung, Beleuchtung und Catalogisierung der Königlichen Gemäldegallerie zu Dresden
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1858
Show Literature
Cat. Dresden 1835 No. 144 (Bd. 1)
AuthorFriedrich Matthäi
TitleVerzeichniss der Königlich Sächsischen Gemälde-Galerie zu Dresden. Erste Hauptabteilung. Die Gemälde der äusseren Galerie; Zweite Hauptabteilung. Die Gemälde der inneren Galerie, der Abteilung H. der äusseren galerie, und des Pastellcabinets
Volume1, 2
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1835
Show Literature

Research History / Discussion

The painting belongs to a group of paintings now in Dresden all illustrating the subject of the 'Weibermacht'. They were originally part of a painting cycle commissioned from Cranach by Elector Johann Friedrich for Hartenfels castle in Torgau [DE_SKD_GG1929]. [1]

[1] Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 301

[Exhib. Cat. Gotha/Kassel 2015, 220]

  • Salome with the head of St John the Baptist at Herodes table, 1537

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall
  • reverse
  • irr
  • x_radiograph
  • x_radiograph
  • x_radiograph
  • other
  • other

Documents

Technical studies

19.09.2012Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

Results

Drawing material:

- fluid (brush)

Technique:

- A few lines are visible, that cannot with certainty be interpreted as underdrawing: in the folds of the robe worn by the man standing on the far right, at the bottom of the folds on Salome’s sleeve, on the back of the neck of the second man from the left [1]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 297]

[Böhme, Schölzel, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 2012]

  • photographed by Alexandra Böhme
  • photographed by Christoph Schölzel

2005Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

A few lines are visible, that cannot with certainty be interpreted as underdrawing: in the folds of the robe worn by the man standing on the far right, at the bottom of the folds on Salome’s sleeve, on the back of the neck of the second man from the left

Framing

- new frame: gilded frame in the style of the Dresden gallery frames of the 18th and 19th centuries

[Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 297]

23.02.2004Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

The most recent annual ring can be dated to 1531

[Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 301]

  • analysed by Peter Klein

2003Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • reverse

Support

- beech wood

- 1.4 cm thick

- original surface on the reverse

- five horizontal planks

- split marks

- plane marks

- rebate running around the edge

- joins reinforced with tow

[Schlegel 2003, 76-78][1]

[1][Schlegel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 297]

  • X-radiography
  • x_radiograph
  • x_radiograph
  • x_radiograph

Condition Reports

Date2003

Support:

  • wooden blocks in the rebate were employed to fix the panel in a frame

  • the panel exhibits a convex warp on the front

  • woodworm damage (exit holes)

Painted surface:

  • small retouches on old paint losses in the robe and hat of the man on the left and along the edges

  • abrasion and some paint loss along the edges of the craquelée, particularly in the bearded man on the right and the womanon the left, whose head is cropped

  • glossy, thin varnish

[Schlegel 2003, 76][1]

[Schlegel, Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 297]

Conservation History

Date2004

  • in preparation for an exhibition in Torgau (frame)

see pdf

Date1971

[GGAM, Abt. Restaurierung, Meldung]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 297]

see also pdf

Date1955

[GGAM, Abt. Restaurierung, sowjetischer Gemäldepass][1]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 297]

Date1918

[Sächs,HStADD, 13458 SKD, GG Nr. 8, Bd. 14, Bl. 248, 249][1]

[1][Schölzel, Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 297]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Salome with the head of St John the Baptist at Herodes table', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_SKD_GG1923/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
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