Behead Collection

WILDE: SALOME. The Climax. Pen and ink drawing by Aubrey Beardsley for Oscar Wildes Salome

GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT. Sir Gawain beheading the Green Knight. Manuscript illumination from Gawain and the Green Knight, English, 14th century

KING DAVID (d. 973 B. C. ). King of Judah and Israel. David and Goliath (I Samuel 17: 49, 51)
KING DAVID (d. 973 B.C.). King of Judah and Israel. David and Goliath (I Samuel 17: 49, 51). Wood engraving after Gustave Dor

HINDU GODDESS: KALI. The Hindu goddess Kali, shown holding a bloody sword and the head of a giant while she tramples her consort, Shiva. Wood engraving, American, 1849

Head of Saint John the Baptist, c1496, by Marco Palmezzano
Marco Palmezzano (circa 1458-1539). Italian painter. Head of Saint John the Baptist, circa 1496. Lazaro Galdiano Museum. Madrid. Spain

Judith and Holofernes, 1624, by Valentin de Boulogne
Valentin de Boulogne (1591-1632). French Baroque painter. Judith and Holofernes, 1624. Oil on canvas. National Museum of Fine Arts. Valletta. Malta. Date: 2019

Beheading of St John the Baptist, ca. 1645, by Matthias Stom
Matthias Stom (ca.1600-h.1650). Dutch painter. The beheading of St John the Baptist, ca.1645, Oil on canvas. National Museum of Fine Arts. Valletta. Malta. Date: 2019

Head of Saint John the Baptist, 1644, by Juseppe de Ribera
Juseppe de Ribera (1591-1652). Spanish painter. Head of Saint John the Baptist, 1644. San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Madrid. Spain. Date: 2019

Head of St John the Baptist, ca. 1630, by Domenico Zampieri
Domenico Zampieri (or Domenichino) (1581-1641). Italian baroque painter. Head of St John the Baptist, ca.1630. Detail. San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Madrid. Spain. Date: 2019

Statue of Salome, 1883, by Walery Gadomski (1833-1911)
Walery Gadomski (1833-1911). Polish sculptor. Statue of Salome, 1883. Marble. 19th Century Polish Art Gallery (Sukiennice Museum). National Museum of Krakow. Poland. Date: 2018

Nicanor died after being defeated by Judas Maccabaeus. His head and arms are cut off. Mosaic. Sant'Evasio Cathedral. Casale Monferrato. Piedmont Region. Italy

BUNYAN/GIANT'S DEATH
The death of Giant Despair. Date: First published: 1678

Perseus with the Head of Medusa, 1804-6 (marble)
3493041 Perseus with the Head of Medusa, 1804-6 (marble) by Canova, Antonio (1757-1822); 242.6 high cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA; (add.info.: In Greek mythology)

HINDU GODDESS: KALI. Holding a sword and a severed head, Kali dances on top of a corpse at a cremation ground. Indian miniature

Assyrian soldiers after a battle, holding an enemys decapitated head. Antique hand-colored print

David slays Goliath. From the Old Testament, Book of Samuel. After stunning him with a stone from his sling, David beheads the giant Goliath. David later becomes King of Israel

David slays Goliath. From the Old Testament, Book of Samuel. After stunning him with a stone from his sling, David beheads the giant Goliath. David later becomes King of Israel

REYNARD THE FOX, 1846. Steel engraving, German, 1846, after Wilhelm von Kaulbach, for an edition of Johann Wolfgang von Goethes adaptation of the medieval epic Reyard the Fox

THREE JEWISH HEROINES. Esther, Judith and Jael. Woodcut by Hans Burgkmair the Elder, 1519

MARIE ANTOINETTE (1755-1793). Queen of France, 1774-1792. On her way to the guillotine, 1793. Mezzotint by John Sartain, 1859, after a painting by Paul Delaroche

CANNIBALS. Cannibals in the New World. Woodcut from Of the landes and of ye people founde by the messengers of the king of Portygale, published at Antwerp, Belgium, in 1521

Count William III of Holland, Duke of Hainault, Gives the Order to Behead the Bailiff of South Holland, 1336, Judgment of William the Good, copy after Simon Henrixz, 1620 - 1649

Perseus, c. 1540 (pen and brown pencil with black chalk on white paper)
XKH155187 Perseus, c.1540 (pen and brown pencil with black chalk on white paper) by Romano, Giulio (1492-1546); 32.5x16.3 cm; Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany; Italian, out of copyright

Titus Manlius Torquatus orders his son to be beheaded, print maker: Georg Pencz, Georg Pencz, 1535

INDIA: MOGHUL ERA. Continuing the custom of Genghis Khan and Timur, victorious Moghul rulers built victory pillars with the heads of their defeated enemies. Detail from a Moghul painting, c1590

JESUIT MARTYRDOM, 1622. Detail of a 17th century painting by a Japanese Jesuit of the Great Martyrdom of 10 September 1622, when 30 Christians were beheaded and 25 burned at the stake

JAPAN: SAMURAI. Samurai warrior on his shield, holding the head of one of his victims between his teeth. Woodblock print, Japanese, 19th century

SALOME & JOHN THE BAPTIST. Salome with the head of St. John the Baptist. Oil on canvas, 16th century

CONSTELLATION: PERSEUS. Personification of Perseus. Woodcut from Gaius Julius Hyginus Poeticon Astronomicon, Venice, Italy, 1482

MARIE ANTOINETTE at the guillotine, 1793. Colored etching by George Cruikshank

CATHERINE II (1729-1796). Royal Recreation : Catherine the Great accepts the severed heads of Polish citizens after Russias 1794 victory over Poland; a bust of the English statesman, Charles Fox

KING DAVID (d. 973 B. C. ). King of Judah and Israel. David with the head of Goliath (I Samuel 17)
KING DAVID (d. 973 B.C.). King of Judah and Israel. David with the head of Goliath (I Samuel 17: 49, 51). Wood engraving, 19th century

DAVID AND GOLIATH. David presenting the head of Goliath the King Saul. Renaissance painting

JEPHTHAH & ABILMELECH. Left: Jephthah sacrifices his daughter (Judges xi: 39-40). Right: Abilmelech, garbed in orange, and four companions in chainmail slay his brothers (Judges ix: 3-6)

SARACENI: JUDITH. Jewish heroine in one of the books of the Apocrypha who saved her people by decapitating the Assyrian general Holofernes. Canvas by Carlo Saraceni (c1580-1620)

DAVID & GOLIATH. Miniature from an Italian Book of Hours, late 15th century

CANNIBALS. Cannibals in the New World. Woodcut from Of the landes and of ye people founde by the messengers of the king of Portygale, published at Antwerp, Belgium, in 1521

Anne Boleyn (c1504-1536) second wife of Henry VIII of England: mother of Elizabeth I: found guilty of high treason on grounds of adultery: charges almost certainly fabricated

Anne of Cleeves (1515-1557) Protestant German princess, fourth wife of Henry VIII of England, who married her for political reasons but found her unattractive. Marriage annulled after six months

JUNO AND ARGUS. Juno preserves the eyes of the decapitated Argus by setting them in the peacocks tail. Copper engraving, 18th century

ANCIENT BRITONS. Line engraving, c1800

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"Beheading: A Glimpse into the Dark and Powerful Imagery of History and Mythology" From ancient Hindu goddesses to biblical tales, beheadings have long held a captivating place in human history. In an 18th-century Indian painting, Chinnamasta, a manifestation of the fierce goddess Kali, stands triumphantly on love god Kamadeva and his wife Rati - a symbol of destruction overpowering desire. Oscar Wilde's "Salome" takes us further into this macabre fascination as depicted by Aubrey Beardsley's pen and ink drawing. The climax unfolds with Salome holding the severed head of John the Baptist, her desires leading to a gruesome end. In Sir Gawain's legendary tale, we witness his bravery as he beheads the Green Knight only to face unexpected consequences. This story reminds us that actions have repercussions beyond our imagination. Even King David himself is not exempt from this theme; Gustave Doré's wood engraving portrays him triumphantly holding Goliath's head after defeating him in battle. It serves as a reminder that even great heroes can commit acts of violence. Returning to Hindu mythology, we encounter another depiction of Kali wielding her bloody sword while trampling her consort Shiva underfoot. This image represents both creation and destruction intertwined within divine power. Moving forward in time, we come across Mary Queen of Scots being led towards her execution - an event etched forever in history where political intrigue culminated in tragedy. Artists like Marco Palmezzano capture Saint John the Baptist’s decapitated head with haunting realism. Valentin de Boulogne brings Judith's courage to life as she severs Holofernes' head for the sake of her people’s liberation. Matthias Stom presents yet another rendition depicting John the Baptist’s beheading – reminding us that martyrdom often comes at great personal cost but can inspire generations to come.