Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist by Andrea Solario, oil on wood, circa 1507-09. This is the finest of several versions of this composition painted by the Milanese artist and may have been painted for a noble patron in France, where Solario worked from about 1507-09. Carried out with incredible attention to detail, the artist achieved a striking effect by contrasting Salome's idealized beauty and jewels with the horrific view of the Baptist's head held by the cropped arm of the executioner. The descriptive naturalism of reflections and surface textures is indebted to both Leonardo, who worked for decades in Milan, and Netherlandish painting. According to the Synoptic Gospels, Herod had imprisoned John the Baptist because he reproved Herod for divorcing his wife (Phasaelis) and unlawfully taking Herodias, the wife of his brother Herod Philip I. On Herod's birthday, Herodias's daughter (traditionally named Salome) danced before the king and his guests. Her dancing pleased Herod so much that in his drunkenness he promised to give her anything she desired, up to half of his kingdom. When the daughter asked her mother what she should request, she was told to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Although Herod was appalled by the request, he reluctantly agreed and had John executed in the prison.