Benozzo Gozzoli
The Feast of Herod refers to the episode in the Gospels following the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, when Salome presents his head to her parents. The account in the Book of Mark describes Herod holding a banquet on his birthday for his high officials and military commanders, and leading men of Galilee. At this banquet, Herod's daughter dances before Herod, who is pleased and offers her anything she asks for in return. The girl asks her mother what she should request, and she is told to demand the head of John the Baptist. Reluctantly, Herod orders the beheading of John, and John's head is delivered to her, at her request, "on a platter." This scene was very popular in art, especially in the 19th century; it became more popular after Oscar Wilde's play, Salome (1891), which invented the concept of the Dance of the Seven Veils.
Today we present something different—a Renaissance painting created by the amazing Benozzo Gozzoli. This panel is part of the predella of the Compagnia della Purificazione altarpiece. Gozzoli depicts three stories from the Bible that are happening simultaneously: Herod’s banquet scene, the beheading of St. John the Baptist, and the presentation of St. John’s head to Herodias. This method of representation was typical for Gothic art, but happened also in the Renaissance. The artist used intensely geometric architectural features to show the separation of events.
Look how Gozzoli presented the dancing Salome! I love it.
P.S. If you are eager for more, we've got you covered with our brief guide through the Italian Renaissance in the DailyArt Magazine!