Salome with the Head of St. John the Baptist 1506 - 1516

Hans Baldung's woodcut, *Salome with the Head of St. John the Baptist* (1506-1516), depicts the biblical story of Salome, a young woman who, after dancing for King Herod, requested the head of John the Baptist on a platter as a reward. This grisly scene is a stark reminder of the dangers of ambition and the consequences of one's actions. The detailed rendering of Salome's elegant dress and the dramatic expression on the severed head, alongside the distant castle, creates a sense of the complex and often cruel nature of power in a Renaissance world. The woodcut's style, typical of German Renaissance art, is characterized by precise lines and intricate detail.