Herodias met het hoofd van Johannes de Doper Possibly 1608 - 1688

This is Claude Mellan’s engraving, "Herodias with the Head of John the Baptist," a small yet strikingly composed work. The engraving’s most dominant feature is its stark contrast, achieved through meticulously rendered lines that define the figures and background. The artist uses line and shadow to guide our eye. The composition is bisected, placing Herodias and the severed head in visual tension. Mellan's engraving technique brings a tactile quality to the scene. The cross-hatching in the background emphasizes the smooth skin of Herodias against the lifeless head. This contrast destabilizes the conventional heroic portrait, merging beauty with brutality. The gaze of Herodias, directed slightly off-center, invites contemplation. The image questions fixed notions of beauty and power. The engraving is not merely a depiction but a complex interplay of form and content, challenging viewers to engage with the darker aspects of human drama.