Capital - The Story of Saint John the Baptist

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Saint John the Baptist was a final prophet of Israel, renowned for baptizing Jesus Christ and identifying him as the long-awaited Messiah destined to save his people through God's sacred covenant. He found himself imprisoned within a fortress due to his bold criticism of Herod Antipas' incestuous marriage to Herodias, the wife of his brother. During a grand banquet honoring Herod, Salome, his niece and stepdaughter, captivated him with her enchanting dance. In response, Herod vowed to grant her any wish she desired. With malice in her heart, Herodias prompted her daughter to demand John the Baptist's execution as revenge for his sharp rebukes. Beneath a majestic architectural element, John the Baptist appears on the second short panel, where he suffers a beheading at the hands of the executioner. Salome then delivers her mother's prized possession - John's severed head - on a platter, which is depicted on the opposing main panel.