The Head of Saint John the Baptist presented to Salome is a circa 1609 oil on panel painting by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) executed shortly after his return to Antwerp after an eight year stay in Italy.
The Head of Saint John the Baptist Presented to Salome | |
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Artist | Peter Paul Rubens |
Year | 1609 (c.) |
Type | oil on panel |
Dimensions | 94 cm × 101.8 cm (37 in × 40 in) |
Location | Private collection |
The painting which had been lost or misattributed for over 200 years was rediscovered in 1987 and in 1998 sold for $5.5 million US. The work then became part of the Fisch-Davidson collection of Baroque paintings and in turn was sold in February 2023 during Sotheby's Old Masters sale for $26.9 million the third highest ever price for a work by Rubens.
The work depicts the head of John the Baptist being presented to Salome just moments after it has been severed from the biblical figure's body [1][2][3][4]
References
edit- ^ "Lost Rubens painting of Salome could exceed £31m at auction". The Guardian. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ Elaine Velie (26 October 2022). "Rubens Painting, Lost for Centuries, Heads to the Auction Block". Hyperallergic.com. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ Wong, Kayan. "Rubens' depiction of Salome and John the Baptist Beheaded fetches US$26.9m". The Value. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "Sir Peter Paul Rubens". sothebys.com. Retrieved 30 March 2023.