Salome

Henry Ossawa Tanner, Salome, ca. 1900, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Jesse O. Tanner, 1983.95.207A
Copied Henry Ossawa Tanner, Salome, ca. 1900, oil on canvas, 45 7⁄8 x 35 1⁄4 in. (116.5 x 89.4 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Jesse O. Tanner, 1983.95.207A
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Artwork Details

Title
Salome
Artist
Date
ca. 1900
Location
Dimensions
45 7⁄8 x 35 1⁄4 in. (116.5 x 89.4 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Jesse O. Tanner
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Religion — New Testament — Salome
Object Number
1983.95.207A
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1983.95.207A

Artwork Description

Salome stands out from Henry Ossawa Tanner's other religious images, which are more conservative than this provocative painting. Salome's demand for the head of John the Baptist is one of the most lurid stories in the Bible. She dances for her stepfather, who rewards her beauty by giving her the prophet’s head on a platter. Here, Tanner presented Salome in a revealing gown, emphasizing her sensuality. The yellow shape in the lower left of the image, marked with red paint, suggests the corpse of John the Baptist.

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