ITALIAN SCHOOL. 000000 LEONARDO DA VINCI. 000000 VIENNA GALLERY.

SALOME,

THE DAUGHTER OF HERODIAS.

Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee, having repudiated his wife, married Herodias, his own brother's wife. St. John the Baptist dared reproach him this twofold adultery, and he was put into prison. But Herodias, desirous of revenge, wished the holy prophet to be put to death. After a splendid feast, Salome, the daughter of Herodias by Philip, her first husband, having danced before Herod, pleased him so much, that he promised, with an oath, to grant her whatever she should ask. « And she, being before instructed of her mother, said: Give me here John the Baptist's head in a charger.» The king was greatly vexed at this request, but because of his oath and of them who sat with him at meat, he ordered one of his guards to go and cut off the head of St. John the Baptist.

It is wrong to have given the name of Herodias to this subject, since it is not she, who is represented in it, but her daughter Salome.

Leonardo, in this picture, has displayed great talent in the expressions of the two figures. The executioner's head shews the regret excited in him by this abominable action, of which he is the instrument; whilst Salome, by her smiling, shews an odious disposition. The two figures are of an admirable and highly finished workmanship: they are thrown forwards from an entirely black ground, which does not produce a very pleasing effect.

This picture forms part of the Vienna Gallery, but it is a mistake to believe that it belonged to the Cardinal Mazarine : it is not marked in his inventory. It is painted on wood, and has been engraved by P. J. Eisner, and done in lithography by Zwinger.

Height, 4 feet 7 inches; width, 2 feet 11 inches.