Decapitation Collection (#3)

David and Goliath, n.d. Creator: Alfred Chalon
David and Goliath, n.d

Judith and Holofernes and Other Studies (recto); Diana and Endymion (verso), c.1718. Creator: Giuseppe Nicola Nasini
Judith and Holofernes and Other Studies (recto); Diana and Endymion (verso), c.1718

Judith with the Head of Holofernes, n.d. Creator: Girolamo Mocetto
Judith with the Head of Holofernes, n.d

Sheet of Sketches: Beheading of a Saint (recto); Several Slight Figure Sketches (verso), 1605/44

The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, c. 1500. Creator: Master MZ
The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, c. 1500

Perseus Starting from the Cave of the Gorgons, c.1816. Creator: Henry Fuseli
Perseus Starting from the Cave of the Gorgons, c.1816

Beheading of St. John the Baptist, n.d. Creator: Master of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist
Beheading of St. John the Baptist, n.d

Judith with the Head of Holofernes, n.d. Creator: Marco San Martino
Judith with the Head of Holofernes, n.d

Sheet of Sketches, 1829. Creator: Auguste Raffet
Sheet of Sketches, 1829

Beheading of a Female Saint, n.d. Creator: Unknown
Beheading of a Female Saint, n.d

Judith with the Head of Holofernes, 1550/60. Creator: School of Luca Cambiaso Italian, 1527-1588
Judith with the Head of Holofernes, 1550/60

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, n.d. Creator: Jacobus Houbraken
Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, n.d

David and Goliath, n.d. Creator: Henry Pierce Bone
David and Goliath, n.d

Judith with the head of Holofernes, 1898. Creator: Hermann Hahn
Judith with the head of Holofernes, 1898

Illusionist magic show by Pharos, with fake decapitation. Date: circa 1900s

Saint Livier. Creator: Jacques Callot
Saint Livier

David with the Head of Goliath, 1680-1743. Creator: Robert van Audenaerde
David with the Head of Goliath, 1680-1743. After Carlo Maratti

Salome with the Head of John the Baptist, 1514. Creator: Lucas van Leyden
Salome with the Head of John the Baptist, 1514

Judith, ca. 1526. Creator: Barthel Beham
Judith, ca. 1526

Halberdier, 17th century. Creator: Unknown
Halberdier, 17th century

Lady Kayo, Consort of Prince Hanzoku of India, Holding a Severed Head, 1865. Creator: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Lady Kayo, Consort of Prince Hanzoku of India, Holding a Severed Head, 1865. Series: One Hundred Ghost Tales from China and Japan

Staged Seppuku Harakiri Ceremony - Japan
A (thankfully) staged Seppuku or Harakiri ceremony (from the late Edo period) of ritual suicide. A Japanese man has opened a cut in his abdomen in front of two witnesses

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

David with the Head of Goliath. 1620s by Domenico Fetti
Domenico Fetti (1589-1624). Italian painter. David with the Head of Goliath. 1620s. National Museum. Stockholm. Sweden. Date:

Shahnameh. The Book of Kings. 16th c. Depiction of a battle. Islamic art. Miniature Painting

The Beheading of St. Paul, . n. d. Creator: Michael Lucas Leopold Willmann
The Beheading of St. Paul, .n.d

David standing, sword in lowered right hand, sack in the left, the head of Goliath on... ca. 1506
David standing, sword in lowered right hand, sack in the left, the head of Goliath on the ground beneath him, ca. 1506

David with the head of Goliath, ca. 1515-16. Creator: Marcantonio Raimondi
David with the head of Goliath, ca. 1515-16

The miracle of Saint Just, who stands at center holding his decapitated head in his hands... 1639
The miracle of Saint Just, who stands at center holding his decapitated head in his hands with two onlookers, 1639

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"Decapitation: A Visual Journey through History's Grisly Tales" Step into the realm of decapitation, where art and history intertwine to depict humanity's fascination with this gruesome act. From ancient legends to medieval tales and beyond, these captivating artworks offer a glimpse into the macabre world of beheadings. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by William McLaren, we witness the iconic scene where Gawain bravely faces his fate at the hands of an imposing green knight. The Bell of Huesca, captured in oil painting in 1880, immortalizes a chilling event from Spanish history when Ramiro II executed rebellious nobles by severing their heads. Illustration Sweetheart Roland transports us to a fairy tale realm where love is intertwined with horror as Roland encounters his beloved turned into a decapitated monster. The guillotine, symbolizing revolutionary justice during the French Revolution, stands tall as an emblematic representation of swift execution. Queen Margaret placing a paper crown on the head of Duke York showcases power dynamics amidst political turmoil during medieval times. Two Horsemen of the Apocalypse ominously ride forth in early 14th-century artwork depicting death and destruction that follows them wherever they go. Judith and Holofernes takes center stage multiple times throughout history - Valentin de Boulogne's 1624 rendition portrays Judith's bravery while Domenico Fetti's David with the Head of Goliath explores themes of triumph over evil. Shahnameh offers Persian mythology’s take on decapitations within its epic tales. Fascist justice comes alive in Milan's Palace of Justice marble bas-relief; "Justice sitting on the trunk of Good and Evil" reminds us how power can corrupt even those meant to uphold fairness. Judith appears again in haunting depictions from 1525-28 and 1602 – her courage against tyranny resonates across centuries.