Salome Receiving the Head of John the Baptist (1890)
Technique: Giclée quality print
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Edward Mitchell Bannister's evocative painting, "Salome Receiving the Head of John the Baptist" (1890), captures a powerful and dramatic biblical scene. Set against a dark, moody backdrop that enhances the gravity of the moment, the painting depicts the young Salome accepting the severed head of John the Baptist, presented to her on a platter by a kneeling figure. Bannister’s use of somber tones and the interplay of shadow and light bring a chilling intimacy to this historical narrative.Salome, standing at the center, is rendered with a striking composure amidst the grim transaction, highlighting her detached involvement in the gruesome demand she made after being prompted by her mother, Herodias. Surrounding figures, dimly visible, appear as ghostly witnesses to this grim moment, underscoring the moral darkness of the act.Bannister's brushwork embodies the turbulent emotions swirling within the scene, from Salome’s unsettling stillness to the weighted servility of the figure presenting the head.
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Edward Mitchell Bannister (November 2, 1828 – January 9, 1901) was an oil painter of the American Barbizon school. Born in Canada, he spent his adult life in New England in the United States. There, along with his wife Christiana Carteaux Bannister, he was a prominent member of African-American cultural and political communities, such as the Boston abolition movement. Bannister received national recognition after he won a first prize in painting at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. He was also a founding member of the Providence Art Club and the Rhode Island School of Design.