Beheading of John the Baptist (Damaskinos)

Beheading of John the Baptist
Greek: Αποτομή Ιωάννου Προδρόμου,
Italian: La Decollazione di San Giovanni Battista
ArtistMichael Damaskinos
Yearc. 1590
Mediumtempera on wood
MovementCretan School
SubjectBeheading of John the Baptist
Dimensions165.5 cm × 97.5 cm (65.2 in × 38.4 in)
LocationMunicipal Gallery of Corfu, Corfu, Greece
OwnerMunicipal Gallery of Corfu
WebsiteOfficial Website

The Beheading of John the Baptist was a painting made of egg tempera and gold leaf. It was similar in length to Damaschino's Stoning of Stephen. Michele Damaschino (c. 1530-1592) was a famous member of the Cretan school of painting. His contemporaries were El Greco and Georgios Klontzas. Damaschino was from Crete, he spent a large amount of time in Venice. While in Venice, and other parts of Italy, he adopted Italian mannerisms which he applied to his painting technique. The Beheading of John the Baptist was a popular theme among Greek and Italian painters.[1][2][3]

The Beheading of John the Baptist, painted by Michael Damaskinos, was copied by countless Greek and Italian painters. The theme and painting style became a common prototype of the late Cretan school. Georgios Kastrofylakas and Philotheos Skoufos each painted their own version of the masterpiece. Damaschino's icon is very large, it is housed at the Municipal Gallery of Corfu in Corfu, Greece. The artwork is inside section A of the Palace of St. Michael and St. George. Damaskinos's Stoning of Saint Stephen is also at the same place.[4]

  1. ^ Eugenia Drakopoulou (November 11, 2021). "Beheading of John the Baptist". Institute for Neohellenic Research. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  2. ^ Staff Writers (November 11, 2021). "Beheading of John the Baptist". Municipal Gallery of Corfu. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  3. ^ James, Liz (2010). A Companion to Byzantium. London, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell. p. 365. ISBN 9781444320022.
  4. ^ Hatzidakis, Manolis (1987). Έλληνες Ζωγράφοι μετά την Άλωση (1450-1830). Τόμος 1: Αβέρκιος - Ιωσήφ [Greek Painters after the Fall of Constantinople (1450-1830). Volume 1: Averkios - Iosif]. Athens: Center for Modern Greek Studies, National Research Foundation. pp. 241–254. hdl:10442/14844. ISBN 960-7916-01-8.