The Head of John the Baptist brought to Herod

The Head of John the Baptist Brought to Herod from 1454 by Giovanni di Paolo at the National Gallery depicts the grisly conclusion of the Baptist story. The dramatic subject is rendered with the visionary intensity and narrative clarity characteristic of Giovanni di Paolo's predella paintings Oil on canvas, increasingly preferred over panel in the sixteenth century, offered greater flexibility for large-scale compositions It is now held at The National Gallery in London, where it can be compare

The dramatic moment is staged within an elaborate architectural setting, Giovanni di Paolo's angular figures and rich coloring creating an atmosphere of courtly menace and horrified fascination.