Herod's Banquet 1490

Domenico Ghirlandaio's "Herod's Banquet" (1490) is a fresco located in the Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Italy, that depicts the biblical story of the beheading of John the Baptist. Ghirlandaio, one of the most celebrated artists of the Florentine Renaissance, painted a scene of opulent feasting with dramatic, almost shocking, narrative tension. The execution of John the Baptist is not directly shown but alluded to by the anxious expressions of Herod and his guests. The work exhibits a detail-oriented style that typifies the artist, and it serves as a reminder of the power and influence of the Church during this era.