Head of St John the Baptist
Panel
15th century (made)
15th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This alabaster panel depicts the head of St John the Baptist surrounded by saints. Alabaster, a fine grained form of gypsum, is a smooth marble-like stone that became popular during the late Middle Ages for the carving of religious sculpture. Softer than marble, it was much easier to carve and also considerably cheaper. England was an important European centre of alabaster production, with quarries outside Nottingham, York, Burton-on-Trent and London. From about 1380s, alabasters - both single devotional images and reliefs for altarpieces - were exported in considerable numbers to the continent where they were to survive, whereas in England such images were destroyed during the Reformation.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Head of St John the Baptist |
| Materials and techniques | carved and painted alabaster |
| Brief description | Alabaster panel depicting the head of St John the Baptist with saints, England, 15th century |
| Physical description | Alabaster panel depicting the head of St John the Baptist surrounded by saints. The head with forked beard is shown on a dish, and marked by the wound left by Herodias according to legend. Above, two angels hold a small, haloed figure representing the soul, below two kneeling angels support the dish, which has a legible inscription. The Agnus dei is between them. On the lower left of the panel the Virgin is enthroned, crowned and veiled holding the Christ child. On the lower left St. Catherine holding her emblem the wheel. Above the Virgin stands St. Peter in the papal triple crown and above St. Catherine an archbishop, probably St. Thomas Becket. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Caput sci ihohanis [sic] baptiste i disco' |
| Credit line | Given by Dr. W L Hildburgh |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This alabaster panel depicts the head of St John the Baptist surrounded by saints. Alabaster, a fine grained form of gypsum, is a smooth marble-like stone that became popular during the late Middle Ages for the carving of religious sculpture. Softer than marble, it was much easier to carve and also considerably cheaper. England was an important European centre of alabaster production, with quarries outside Nottingham, York, Burton-on-Trent and London. From about 1380s, alabasters - both single devotional images and reliefs for altarpieces - were exported in considerable numbers to the continent where they were to survive, whereas in England such images were destroyed during the Reformation. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.164-1946 |
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| Record created | April 20, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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