The Decapitation of St John the Baptist 

This panel depicts the execution of St. John the Baptist, a tragic scene rendered with stark directness. Notice the severed head on a platter, a motif echoing Salome’s demand and Herod’s cruel promise. This potent image transcends its biblical origin, reappearing across cultures and epochs. The disembodied head—a symbol of ultimate powerlessness—finds echoes in ancient myths, such as Medusa’s head, a motif of terror and protection. We see its reappearance in Renaissance art, often representing triumph over adversaries. Here, the head is not a trophy but a relic of martyrdom, imbued with religious significance. The act of decapitation, though brutal, symbolizes sacrifice, a complex interplay of destruction and renewal, and a testament to unwavering faith in the face of death. The collective memory of such images elicits a profound emotional response, reflecting the enduring human fascination with the themes of life, death, and transcendence.