Description
The Feast of Herod occupies the lowest register of the Saint John the Baptist cycle in the Peruzzi Chapel. The scene combines two consecutive moments: the banquet at which Herod receives the Baptist's severed head and, at the right, Salome subsequently presenting it to Herodias. Giotto unifies both episodes through a single architectural setting and remarkably clear continuous narrative.
The banquet takes place in an open monumental hall supported by slender columns and crowned by an elegant balustrade decorated with small sculptural figures. Architecture organizes depth while also acting as a stage that focuses attention on the protagonists' gestures. Herod is seated at the table when an attendant or soldier presents the head of Saint John the Baptist on a platter.
