Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist - SOLD

The episode depicted in this splendid sketch is the "Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist", taken from the Gospel according to Mark 6:21-28, a work by the Genoese painter Orazio De Ferrari. During Herod's birthday celebration, Herodias' beautiful daughter, Salome, enchanted the king with her dancing, who swore to the beautiful girl to grant her a wish. On her mother's advice, she asked the sovereign for the head of John the Baptist on a silver platter. And, as we know, a king never goes back on his word! The canvas describes the last act of the saint's life, with his hands tied behind his back, recognizable by his iconographic attributes: sheepskin and the red cloak, symbol of martyrdom. The executioner on the right side of the scene is drawing his sword from its scabbard, while on the opposite side, a servant of the king carries the platter where the head will be placed after the beheading. Around them, some figures curiously witness the martyrdom. Orazio entered the workshop under the discipline of his "compatriot" (also from Voltri) Andrea Ansaldo: the master's esteem reached the point "... that having a niece, named Giorgietta, a spinster of excellent qualities, Ansaldo thought to join her in marriage to him; and with such a bond, to further strengthen their reciprocal love; adding the title of father-in-law to that of master." [Soprani/Ratti, p. 287] Upon the master's death, "he had to take his place" [Soprani/Ratti, p. 288] and "Orazio made many paintings for our Rivieras" [Soprani/Ratti, p. 288], especially for religious orders. The favor of Onorato II Grimaldi "Prince of Monaco, who took him with him, and had him paint many things both in the palace and in the Churches of the Principality" introduced him "to the friendship of some Provençal Lords" [Soprani/Ratti, p. 289], which allowed him to even obtain the Cross of Knight of the Order of Saint Michael, which definitively changed his social status. Unfortunately, a few years after the great plague that struck Genoa between 1656/1657, it took away, like many other painters and half of the Genoese population, Orazio De Ferrari as well. Our painting is the sketch for the painting, 221.5 x 161.5 cm, now held at the Museo di Palazzo Bianco coming from the Istituto degli Orfani in Genoa. The condition of conservation is very good, the small canvas comes complete with a lacquered and gilded contemporary frame. Dimensions: 22.5 x 31.5 cm