Artwork
Salome with the head of St John the Baptist
Salome with the head of St John the Baptist is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Angelo Caroselli. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Accademia Carrara.
About this work
Overview
Angelo Caroselli’s oil painting, dated to around 1650, portrays the biblical episode in which Salome presents the severed head of John the Baptist. The work belongs to the collection of the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo and exemplifies the artist’s mature period in Rome, when he combined dramatic lighting with a naturalistic approach to figure and setting.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is Salome, rendered in a blue gown trimmed with gold, a white shawl, and a jeweled headband. She holds a platter bearing the freshly cut head, her gaze directed upward, conveying a mood of solemn contemplation rather than triumph. The composition invites reflection on the moral and religious implications of martyrdom and the consequences of desire.
Technique & Style
Caroselli employs strong chiaroscuro, contrasting a darkened background with illuminated figures, a hallmark of his Caravaggesque influence. Thick impasto in the flesh and drapery adds tactile depth, while the red curtain and distant landscape are rendered with looser brushwork, creating a layered spatial effect that balances realism with theatricality.
History & Provenance
Created in Rome during the mid‑17th century, the painting entered the Accademia Carrara’s holdings in the 19th century, though earlier ownership records are sparse. Its presence in the museum’s collection reflects the institution’s effort to represent the diverse currents of Baroque painting, particularly works that bridge Caravaggio’s realism and the genre scenes of the Bamboccianti.
Context
Caroselli’s oeuvre is noted for synthesizing the dramatic tenebrism of Caravaggio with the everyday realism of the Bamboccianti painters. This work illustrates his engagement with religious narratives while maintaining a focus on naturalistic detail, situating it within the broader Roman Baroque movement that emphasized emotional intensity and visual contrast.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Angelo Caroselli or Carosèlli (11 February 1585 – 8 April 1652) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in his native Rome.
