14 of September is a very important date for christian religion and for my family. Christianity commemorates the symbol of its substance, the holy cross. My family celebrates my annual age reduction!
Every 14th of September, since I was only crawling, my grandmother Ioanna used to take me in the same monumental temple to celebrate my birthday and symbolically receive blessings along with the feast of cross. The 17th century monasterial temple is located in Southern part of Naxos and was called monastery of True Cross. Today, is known as Pyrgos of Bazeos or Bazeos Castle and serves as an international landmark for important, seasonal, educational and cultural events on the island.
The Apparition. Gustave Moreau. 1876. Musée du Louvre, Paris, France.
My timed date at Cross’s temple in such a special date for me in conjunction with my childish mistake that led me to believe for years that John the Baptist was celebrating too, draw me closer by fate to that biblical figure of the same name. I perceived John the Baptist as an Initiator and his ascetical, yet popular to the masses life, intrigued me. Most of all… his scandalous end!
What fascinated me the most was how in his story there is a great alteration of intellect and sexuality; of spirituality and primitive instincts. How it took the “voice of the dessert” only 4 minutes to be muted; exactly how long the dance of 7 veils lasts…
In this festive post, I share with you my friends how big painters and illustrators fantasized and portrayed the femme fatale of 14AD; the quintessence of dangerous female seductiveness: Salome!
Salome. George Olivier Desvallières. 1905. Private collection.
Salomé. Pierre Bonnaud. 19th century. Unknown current location.
Salome. Léon Herbo. 1889. Private collection.
Salomé. Joanna Chrobak. 2007. Private collection.
Salomé. Jean Benner. 1899. Musée des Beaux-Arts, Nantes, France.
Salome II. Lovis Corinth. 1900. Museum der Bildenden Künste, Leipzig, Germany.
Salome with the Head of St John the Baptist. Bernardino Luini. 16th century. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA.
Salome. Titian. 1515. Doria Pamphilj Gallery, Rome, Italy.
Salome with the head of John the Baptist. Caravaggio. 1607. National Gallery, London, UK.
Der Tanz der Salome. Leopold Schmutzler. 19th-20 century. Private collection.
Salome. Leopold Schmutzler. 19th-20th century. Unknown current location.
Salome. Franz Von Stuck. 1906. Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich, Germany.
Salomé. Ernst Fuchs. 1991. Private collection.
Judith and the Head of Holofernes (Judith I). Gustav Klimt. 1901. Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Vienna, Austria.
Judith II. Gustav Klimt. 1909. Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Venice, Italy.
Salome with the Head of St. John the Baptist. Adolf Frey-Moock. 1910. Private collection.
Queen Salomé. Salvador Dalí. 1937. Private Collection.
Salome dancing before Herod. Gustave Moreau. 1886. Musée du Louvre, Paris, France.
Salomé. Gaston Bussière. 1914. Private collection.
La danse de Salomé ou les papillon d’or. Gaston Bussière. 1928. Private collection.
Salome. Francisco Masriera. 1888. Private collection.
Salome. Robert Henri. 1909. John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Florida.
Study for Salome. Gustave Moreau. 1876. Musèe Gustave Moreau, Paris, France.
Salome. Manuel Orazi. 1930. Unknown current location.
Illustration of Salome or Judith from Julius Klinger’s black-white work in #21 of Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration. 1907.
Aubrey Beardsley’s illustrations for the English version of Oscar Wilde’s play “Salome”. 1894.
Salome. Erté. 1981. Private Collection.
Film poster for Salome (1953), starring Rita Hayworth and Stewart Granger.
Theatre poster by Lernert & Sander for theatrical production “Salome” (2010).
