The Feast of Herod

The Feast of Herod refers to the episode in the Gospels following the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, when Salome presents his head to her parents. The account in the Book of Mark describes Herod holding a banquet for his high officials and military commanders, and leading men of Galilee. At this banquet, Herod's daughter dances before Herod, who is pleased and offers her anything she asks for in return. The girl asks her mother what she should request, and she is told to demand the head of John the Baptist. Reluctantly, Herod orders the beheading of John, and John's head is delivered to her, at her request, "on a platter."(Mark 6:17–29)

Numerous artistic depictions of the event have been made, including:

• The Feast of Herod (Donatello), a bronze relief sculpture by Donatello, c. 1427
• Feast of Herod with the Beheading of St John the Baptist, by Bartholomeus Strobel, early 17th century (Prado)
• A fresco in the cycle Stories of St. Stephen and St. John the Baptist by Filippo Lippi
• The Feast of Herod (Rubens), an oil painting by Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1635
• The Feast of Herod (Gozzoli), a tempera painting by Benozzo Gozzoli, c. 1461
• The Feast of Herod and the Beheading of the Baptist, a tempera painting by an unknown Romagnole painter, c. 1300
• The Feast of Herod (Giotto), third fresco in a series of Scenes from the Life of St John the Baptist by Giotto, c. 1320
• The Feast of Herod (Giovanni di Paolo), a tempera painting by Giovanni di Paolo, c. 1453