Salome with the head of St John the Baptist Essay

Salome with the head of St John the Baptist - Essay Example Salome is said to be the lady in the painting. In the painting, Salome is carrying St. John the Baptist’s head. The painting is believed to have been painted in 1680s and was once paired by another equally gory painting showing David while carrying Goliath’s head. The two paintings depicted the beheading of two famous biblical figures; John the Baptist and David. According to these two paintings, their theme was the cruel deaths of biblical heroes who were murdered in mysterious circumstances. That notwithstanding, Carlo Dolci’s painting was also an illustration of one of the most agonizing scenes ever recorded in the bible (Spike, Michelangelo, & Michèle, 131). When it comes to the art, the painting was professionally done. The colors were chosen according to the theme. Most importantly, the look on Salome’s face as depicted in the painting was a clear illustration of the mood of the painting. One can readily tell the mood of the painting from merely looking at it. This implies that one does not have to read the illustrations of the painting in order to tell the message that Carlo Dolci intended to pass in his work. Black color is always associated with evil or some sort of calamities. Carlo Dolci chose to use black color as the background color of the painting. This was a clear indication of his intention of portraying the arrest and subsequent beheading of John the Baptist. The painting also shows Salome’s head tilted on the left; and impression of the melancholy Salome was going though.