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The Head of St John the Baptist on a Charger

In the Bible, St John the Baptist was beheaded at the request of Salome (the step-daughter of King Herod Antipas) for condemning Herod's marriage to Salome's mother, Herodias. This picture is based on or derived from a 1507 painting in the Louvre by Andrea Solario, which may itself have been based on a lost original by Leonardo da Vinci. Many versions of it exist.

This object is on display

Object type: Paintings
Date: Production: 17th century
Artist: Andrea Solario (c. 1460 - c. 1524) (copy after)
Subject(s): Religion and Devotion
Associated person: Subject: St John the Baptist (c. 6 BC - c. AD 30)
Dimensions: Height x width (canvas size): 510 x 400mm
Materials and technique: Oil on panel
Themes: St John the Baptist in the Museum’s collections
References: Barclay, Malcolm. "Head of St John on a Charger." VADS. Accessed February 12, 2026. https://www.vads.ac.uk/digital/collection/NIRP/id/30442
Credit line: Gift of Lord Mostyn, 1904 (presumed)
Catalogue number: 1874