Salome with the head of St John the Baptist at Herodes table

Executed in the Northern Renaissance idiom, the work displays Cranach’s characteristic fine detailing and clear contours. The figures are rendered with precise brushwork, especially the textures of the green dress, red shawl, and the gleaming metal plate. A dark green backdrop and rich red curtains create a stark contrast that heightens the dramatic tension.

After its completion, the painting entered the collections of German princely patrons before being acquired by the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister. It has remained in the museum’s holdings since the 19th century, where it is displayed among other works by the Cranach workshop, illustrating the family’s continued influence on religious art in the early modern period.