Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist c. 1670s

Onorio Marinari's "Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist" (c. 1670s) depicts the biblical story of Salome receiving the severed head of John the Baptist on a platter. The painting, now housed in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, showcases Marinari's mastery of Baroque style with dramatic lighting and theatrical composition. Salome's pensive expression and the gruesome detail of the severed head add a sense of tragedy and evoke a range of emotions in the viewer. The artwork's historical context, with its religious themes and emphasis on the power of women, is still relevant today.