The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist
François Perrier, called Bourguignon (Pontarlier 1594 - Paris 1649)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1600 - 1650
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
1321 x 965 mm (52 x 38 in)
Place of origin
France
Order this imageCollection
Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire
NT 108865
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, by François Perrier (Pontarlier 1594 - Paris 1649), inscribed in pencil on the back of the - 18th century? - stretcher (with crossbars into which ..... have subsequently been inserted: Romanelli with the marks: superimposed on: Over Door to Hall in Dining Room No.4 Seven figures occupy the space; the top left-hand portion has a flying female angel, with a child angel, looking down on – from left to right, full-length figures: an executioner, turned to right, profile, naked apart from breeches/loincloth, leans forward, a sword in his right hand, his naked right leg showing to left, his left hand pushes down on the head of a kneeling John the Baptist who is turned to the right, profile, his hands tied together in front of him, wearing a robe with a fur/hair (?) lining, his feet naked, his staff (a long crucifix) lying on the ground in front; to right in front of him is a small male page-boy, in classical robes and sandals, holds a large metal salver under his left arm who looks up at Salome, also dressed in classical robes and sandals, her hair dressed with feathers, she turns her head to the right to listen to a female who is whispering into her ear (Herodias?); classical architectural background with a large arched window with bars (prison?). Called Romanelli from the time it was acquired in a sale of 'Dr ' Bragge's in 1757, this picture is in fact by François Perrier, an artist from the Franche-Comte, who spent a long period in Rome before returning to France, where he painted a number of ceilings, including one in the hôtel de Toulouse in Paris (now the Banque de France).
Provenance
Acquired in a sale of 'Dr 'Bragge's in 1757, for £24.3s.0d, as Romanelli, and recorded in Dining Room in 1769; and thence by descent until bought with part of the contents of Kedleston with the aid of the National Heritage Memorial Fund in 1987 when the house and park were given to the National Trust by Francis Curzon, 3rd Viscount Scarsdale (1924-2000)
Credit line
Kedleston Hall, The Scarsdale Collection (acquired with the help of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and transferred to The National Trust in 1987)
Makers and roles
François Perrier, called Bourguignon (Pontarlier 1594 - Paris 1649) , artist previously catalogued as attributed to Giovanni Francesco Romanelli (1610 – Viterbo 1662), artist