Salomé Dancing Before the Head of St. John the Baptist

• After? Gustave Moreau (1826–1898)
• Mid- to late 19th century
• Graphite, watercolor, and gouache on cream wove paper
• Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
• (1975.1.673)

This watercolor depicts the biblical story in which King Herod, captivated by Salomé’s alluring dance, grants her request for the beheading of John the Baptist. The subject appealed to many artists for its complex themes of deception and the opportunity to portray a sensual dance within a lavish banquet. At the center of the composition, Salomé twirls as flower petals scatter around her. King Herod watches from his throne at the upper right, while at the lower left the severed head of John the Baptist drips with red blood.