The Decollation of St John the Baptist

Today is the Feast of the Decollation of St John the Baptist.

This was a very popular subject for artistic commissions over many centuries, and with a strong tendency in the Baroque age after the Council of Trent to favour settings in an enclosed, darkened prison. These were often influenced by Caravaggio’s style and emphasised side-lit exposed male musculature and striking facial expression to show off the skill of the artist.

A striking example is this work by the Flemish or Dutch born artist Matthias Stom. There is an account of what is known of his life and of his work from Wikipedia at Matthias Stom. Appropriately as its subject is St John it is now in the National Galley of Fine Arts in Valetta in Malta. Stom carried out several commissions apparently for clients on the island, and St John would be likely as a subject.

The Decollation of St John the Baptist

Matthias Stom, dated to 1640-45

Image: Wikimedia 

To add to the horror and goriness of the subject Stom has painted a bloodied sword beneath and in front of St John’s head whilst the executioner is completing his task of severing the saint’s head, sawing through the neck with a shorter knife. Historically this happened on occasion at executions, but I have not seen it depicted in art before. One might add that, as with many such depictions of martyrdoms or actual executions witnesses are shown, as here, improbably, directly in line for a significant blood spattering. 

Stom also depicted the next episode in the story with another work:

Salome with the head of St John the Baptist

Image: Wikipedia 

I do not have the date of this work or its location. The model for Salome is clearly different and older, but she wears a similar blue dress over an ivory gown to the equivalent figure in the painting of the Decollation. The head of St John in both paintings is very similar if not indeed identical, which suggests the same model or the use of a sketchbook of studies.

May St John the Baptist pray for us