The beheading of St John the Baptist.

Drawing, pen and brown ink, traces of graphite, 21,5 x 27 cm, laid paper, signed in brown ink at lower right "Barotti" (some brown stains and foxing, small ink stain at upper right).

In decorative gilt orn. frame (sm. woodworm holes), under textile passe-partout.

A very refined figure sketch representing the beheading of Saint John by Salome who places the decapitated head on a platter, held by two servants. The headless body of the saint is seen on the right foreground. The style and graceful pose of the slightly elongated main figure reminds one of the late sixteenth-century Lombardian Mannerist style of Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo (1553-1600), or Aurelio Luini (1530-1593). The drawing is signed in the lower right corner "Barotti".
Prov. Benjamin Filéol (1819-1881, coll. stamp, Lugt 967).