Saint John the Baptist Before King, Herod 16th Century

German or Netherlandish School, Circle of Hans Holbein the Younger (circa 1540)

Oil on oak panel, 82 × 64 cm
Presented in a black carved wooden frame, adorned with gilded motifs at the center and corners
Framed dimensions: 95 × 81 cm

Beneath a green velvet canopy embroidered with gold, a crowned king—likely Herod Antipas—sits in the solemnity of his power. Dressed in black velvet, purple trousers, and fur, he raises his hand in a gesture of authority, perhaps of judgment or inquiry. Facing him, a man in a green tunic appears to plead or deliver a message. To the right, a group of armored soldiers surrounds a figure clad in pale pink, whose face is calm and radiant. This figure, bearing a subtle halo, is identified as Saint John the Baptist, presented to the sovereign in a scene of confrontation between prophetic speech and temporal power.

The scene evokes the biblical episode in which John the Baptist, arrested for denouncing Herod’s union with Herodias, is brought before the king. The painting captures this moment of silent tension, where the saint, bearer of inner truth, confronts political turmoil and the trappings of power. The contrast between the simplicity of his tunic and the martial display of the guards enhances the spiritual depth of the composition.

The dramatic tension, expressive postures, and refined costumes recall the grand narrative compositions of the German Renaissance. The classical architecture in the background, the bluish distance, and the precision of the drawing link this work to the panels of the Oberried Altarpiece, housed in the Kunstmuseum Basel, created by Hans Holbein the Younger or his workshop in the 1520s–1530s.

The attribution to Holbein’s circle is based on the quality of the modeling, the precision of the faces, and the spatial construction, all typical of the Basel school. The treatment of the subject, both theatrical and introspective, reflects the humanist legacy of the master, where painting becomes the stage for an inner drama. Every gesture, every gaze, every fabric contributes to a broader narrative: that of faith confronted with the arbitrariness of power.

Good condition.