Le Chef de saint Jean-Baptiste

A pronounced chiaroscuro governs the scene, with luminous highlights defining the flesh and deep shadows receding into the background. The rendering of the facial features is meticulous, conveying texture and weight, while the smooth surface of the plate and the draped cloth provide contrasting surfaces that reinforce the three‑dimensional illusion.

Although Pierre Puget is chiefly remembered for his sculptural achievements, this canvas demonstrates his early forays into painting during his Italian period. The work, produced in the mid‑seventeenth century, later entered French collections, reflecting the artist’s cross‑disciplinary reputation and the period’s interest in dramatic religious subjects.